7.2

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7

Draught at EBF on 2/10/07
Dark brown with dull greyish-black hues and just a hint of violet on the edges. Light tan head is medium-sized and sticks to the top of the liquid. Well-conditioned and showing medium-high clarity despite the darkness of the liquid. Light lacing in patches is left on the glass.
Smooth medium-dry chocolate in the nose is polished with light, tastefully done lactic notes and strong cocoa powder. But it dosent come off powdery, as rather a sticky, lightly vinous/liquorous dark fruitiness mixing with sticky caramel helps keep things more sumptuous. It stays moderately dry, with a touch of breadiness and acidity on the finish, flecked with more dry chocolate and vinousness. Medium to medium-high strength of aroma that really opens up with warming. Unfortunately, a bit of sharp alcohol vapors are detectable as well, quelling some of the maltiness in the nose.
Dry, well-attenuated, but equally well-malted flavor incorporates more of a dry porter-like profile than that of an Imperial Stout. Though it’s not heavy on the roastiness, all of the dry chocolate, anise, and lactic-like notes really don’t make you think of the sweet, extremely layered maltiness of an Imperial stout. Light vanilla and cocoa, with a very delicious streak of chewy chocolate/caramel-covered dark fruitiness (grape-currants-elderberry sort of thing). Some light lacquer-like alcohol notes towards the end slightly strip the palate of its depth and take things probably a little too dry. But it’s not glaringly obvious. Medium carbonation keeps it tolerably drinkable. Yeast is too clean, a nice lager bite on the end would be appreciated.