Coconut, coffee and vanilla bean stout by Abnormal in collaboration with J. Wakefield, draught at Dok Brewing Company; apparently somewhat of a 'hit' in San Diego so I guess I'm lucky to be able to sample this here in Belgium... Moussy, lightly lacing, pale yellowish beige, opening head on a black beer with hazy ruddy-burgundy edges. Intense, very beguiling bouquet of chocolate liqueur, kalhua, toasted coconut, vanilla beans, cognac, raw cinnamon, figs soaked in rum, wet leather, walnuts, hazelnut oil, dry pipe tobacco, Tia Maria, hot black coffee but the coffee aspect remains more subtle than the vanilla and - to a slightly lesser extent - the coconut additions. Intense onset, sweet candied dates, raisins, condense and medium carbonated, very thick, full and oily mouthfeel as is to be expected from an imperial stout; thick chocolatey, toffeeish and densely hazelnutty malts, stretching all over the palate, adorned with a more delicate vanilla flavour and toasty coconut aspects, but not descending too much in pastry stout territory; lovely coffee liqueur-like 'wave' in the finish, adding subtle and aromatic bitterness to a sweet-and-roasty finish heated by lots of brandy-like, but non-astringent alcohol. Very American style 'impy' indeed but within that league, clearly a very refined, intense and well-balanced one, boozy as expected but in an elegant manner; can give a lot of other such flavoured imperial stouts a run for their money.