7.8

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

750mL bottle drunk 8/18/18.
Lightly gushing, chestnut and mahogany brown beer with strong ruddy currents and a dark beige with rich butter tinged head atop showing moderate-to-strong carbonation. Sediment stirred up from gushing but otherwise clear.
Nose is very interesting and different. Rum raisin sits lightly in there, with sweet toffee mixing with light lactic and acetic acids. Strong oak undercurrent, though it's not toasty, thankfully. Vanilla, bread, cereal and very fruity, almost tart coffee-like notes (must be the cascara) with a strong dried cherry, prune and fig-like character. Not too much acid, nor does it seem jumbled. I like that it's a dark or amber sour without any big balsamic-like notes. While there's acetic acid here, it's light and just another aspect of the beer.
In the mouth it's soft, oily-to-malty with an oaky flavor of old wood mixing with cherry, cinnamon, rum, vanilla and cereal. Tartness is strong throughout but balanced pretty well by the malt and earthy, fruity flavors. Tight, natural carbonation and appropriate attenuation. A touch of alcohol and sourness lingers, but this is lovely, interesting stuff.