750mL bottle, Batch 1 printed on the side, drunk 9/4/15.
Huge tan head tops an inky black body. Great retention, indeterminable clarity.
Big baker’s chocolate and fudge notes in the nose signify this is going to be a big Imperial Stout....vanilla, prunes, tons of cocoa and rich caramel all certainly coat the nostrils and alcohol seems pretty well concealed. Didn’t know what to expect with this one, but I didn’t think it was going to be just a massive malt monster with little else. The oak is very slightly noticeable. Enough to add some toasted/charred notes, a bit of vanilla and light wood, but otherwise fully enveloped by the malt.
Punishingly sweet in the mouth, it’s massively underfermented and the epitome of a cloying, syrupy-sweet Imperial. Gooey, cakey fudge, milk chocolate and vanilla notes all bludgeon the palate while some toasted oak, prunes and oily roast notes do eventually emerge. But it’s much, much too little to balance and the beer is just a heavy-handed, brutish mess. Dumped the whole thing down the drain after a few sips.