Oakes (33493) reviewed Illicit Cargo IV from Smugglers Trail Caskworks 1 month ago
Appearance - 7 | Aroma - 6.5 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6.5
Dark brown, simple hazelnut, some chocolate. I mean I want to like these, but I don't really because they're just too simple, lack bitterness for support, and the adjuncts are very adjuncty.
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6.5
473mL can. Pours black with a brown head. Chocolate, brown sugar, and toasted hazelnuts on the nose. Flavour has cocoa powder, salted caramel sweets, toasted hazelnuts. The malt base is a bit sugary and would benefit from more roast, but I like the hazelnuts. Not bad.
mcberko (47456) reviewed Illicit Cargo IV from Smugglers Trail Caskworks 2 months ago
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 5.5
473mL can, pours jet black with a small tan head. Aroma has plenty of chocolate and caramel upfront, a touch of hazelnuts, and light roast. Flavour is a bit artificial, with hazelnut syrup, toasted caramel, cocoa, and a touch of dry roasted malt. A bit artificial in the adjuncts but the base is alright. Nothing special as usual from this annual series but it’s alright.
Appearance - 7 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7
355ml can. Pours a hazy red amber with a medium, foamy, long lasting, off-white head that leaves soapy curtains of lace. Spicy aroma of grainy pale malt, red wine, coriander, cinnamon and nutmeg. Sweet flavour of grainy pale malt, plum, orange, red wine and cinnamon in a dry, tart finish. Light body with a watery texture and average carbonation. Interesting.
Appearance - 9 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 7 | Overall - 8
473 ml can. Pours black with full dark tan head. Aromas of dark chocolate, vanilla, creamy hazelnuts and roasted malts. Flavors of chocolate syrup, caramel, acidic nuts, and dry roasted malts. The hazelnuts may be a bit strong, but they do balance out some of the sweetness. Overall quite good.
RennyDoig (4553) reviewed Picnic from Smugglers Trail Caskworks 4 months ago
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6
473mL can. Pours hazy pale blonde with a white head. White grape juice and an herbal, musty character on the nose. Flavour comes off drier than the nose with the grape juice being pretty attenuated, lots of grassy herbal notes. Body is soft and wheaty; decent carbonation. Simple, but pleasant and enjoyable.
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6.5
473ml can. Pours a hazy blonde with a small, foamy, short lived, white head that laces. Aroma of wheat, rice, white wine, funky yeast and lemon. Sweet fruity flavour of wheat, rice, lemon peel, honeydew melon, white grape and funky yeast in a dry, tart finish. Light body with a watery texture and average to lively carbonation. Interesting and easy to drink.
Appearance - 5 | Aroma - 5 | Flavor - 4 | Texture - 5 | Overall - 4.5
473mL can. Pours very murky dull yellow with a white head. Orange, dull mangos, and some pith on the nose. Flavour has lots of orange pith and overripe tropical fruit; quite bitter on the finish. Not a fan.
Oakes (33493) reviewed Illicit Cargo III from Smugglers Trail Caskworks 9 months ago
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7
Dark brown. Thin head. Excessive hazelnut aroma, seems artificial, on the palate it’s actually more a fat bourbon, lacking refinement. Damn. The base isn’t bad, light dark sugars and a touch of roast, mild hazelnut overtop, but a really heavy-handed bourbon treatment. It does all the things, and doesn’t do them badly, but doesn’t do them well either.
Oakes (33493) reviewed Illicit Cargo II from Smugglers Trail Caskworks 9 months ago
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7
This is a salted caramel imperial porter. Not bad…some artificial caramel but tastes good in context with the roasty and slightly fruity base.