(On tap at the Cloak and Dagger, Toronto, Sept 16 2014) Pours a murky medium brown with a small white head that lingers with lace. Aroma of orange crush, wintergreen, slightly lemon zesty, sweet malt at the core is faint as is the bourbon and wood character, and the barrel is more wood than whiskey as well. On the palate, orange crush hops and crystal malt again, and wood with a hint of whiskey that carries through to the finish. Unfortunately the rest of the beer basically dies, watery with little flavour or hop character. Light to medium body with light carb. I’m not a big fan of Hoptical as a base beer, I find it rather weak and flavourless on the finish. Bourbon barrel didn’t really redeem it. Okay, but I would not get more.