Appearance - 9 | Aroma - 7.5 | Flavor - 7.5 | Texture - 9 | Overall - 8

Can from Lidl. Black body with a thick beige head. No visible carbonation. Faint lacing. Aroma of glazed cherry and black chocolate. Flavour of cranberry and toffee. Medium body with a slick texture. Soft fizz. Dark and tangy.

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 7 | Overall - 7.5

Can from Lidl Inverurie. It pours darkest brown to black with a decent khaki head. The aroma is dark, decadent, deep roasted malt, dark chocolate, umami, quite savoury, some dried fruits, fruit cake, Eccles cake, toasty brown sugars and a touch of rocky road. The taste is firmly dry upfront, some bitterness, light tannin, dark roasted malt, charred, dark chocolate, mellow alcohol warmth, toasted spice, umami, liquorice and burnt toast with a warming and toasty finale. Fulsome body, fine carbonation and slick mouth feel. I like this savoury character to it. Little sweetness on the go. Particularly good at the price point.

can at home ...dark black ..thin tan lacing ..soft sweet caramel chocolate roast malts nose ..dark sweet chocolate roast malts ..dark sweet chocolate roast

Appearance - 10 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 6.5

Black beer, solid off-white head. Aroma has sweet malt and some aniseed. Flavour has a sweet, aniseed-y note up front too, with some fruit, a little smoke, dark chocolate, a bit of coffee. Good body to it and a nice balanced finish. Very decent.

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

Can at a neighbours. Pours dark brown with a thick beige head. Aromas of liquorice and prune, light leather, fruity coffee. Taste is roast, cooked victoria plums, faint chocolate. Rich finish. Good stuff.