Blended and flavoured stout from California aged on rye and bourbon barrels; sample at BCBF. Some loose, yellow-beige bubbles around the edge, otherwise no head worth speaking of, deep dark chocolate brown robe with mahogany edges, approaching black but not quite. Aroma of old wood, walnuts, very old nougat, bourbon, bitter black chocolate, hard caramel, candied dates, vanilla (from oak), almond. Sweet onset, candied dates and ripe blackberries, hint of ripe pear perhaps, softish carb with very full, oily mouthfeel; deep toffeeish and hazelnutty malts with ‘fondant’-chocolatey core, still sweet with a layer of brown-honeyish sugars on top, yet quickly countered by drying woody tannins and peppery hops, before a strong, heating bourbon and rye booziness appears, engulfing the malt sweetness without penetrating and thus destroying it – so kept well in check, in spite of its strength. Quite impressive and intense, could perhaps further improve in the bottle with a few more years on it.