Appearance - 10 | Aroma - 9.5 | Flavor - 10 | Texture - 10 | Overall - 9.5

2002 bottled. Black, with deep, dark violet tinges around the edge. Head is almost nonexistant from this bottle, and there is plenty of burnt white colored lacing. Aroma is incredible. Strong, alcohol and malt with some rich maple smoked malt and some dark fruit aroma.
This beer opens up with huge malt flavor that is fairly sweet, somewhat oily texture, and full of alcohol and malt. There is plenty of brown sugar appeal, along with some smokey almost sweet maple sausage flavor. Has a nutty taste that becomes a little more apparent and a mild bitter quality comes out as the body progresses. Slowly a nice dry/woody hops flavor appears and inserts its flavor smoothly. Flavor is still bursting with ripe dark fruit and in the finish there is a woody hops appeal that is just apparent enough to balance out the malt. Has a wonderful balance of hops and malt. The best I’ve seen in an Imperial yet. This beer gives it all. Hops, roast, chocolate/coffee malt, dark fruit, alcohol, woody smoke flavor, some bitterness. . .and plenty more. Extra Full Body, perfect carbonation (almost none). After trying this, I had to order another. Incredible complexity, so many flavors to pick out. This beer will keep producing new sensations every time you try it. This would be incredible aged, as well. If this beer was more affordable, or I had more money, I would be drinking it daily. Rerate. Sure, this beer has some acidic moments and alot of hop bitterness, but again, huge flavors, rich complexity and potential for extended aging, comes at a price. If you can’t handle the high ABV, bitterness and some acidic notes, drink a different style of beer.