Grande Cuvée Porter Baltique - Les Trois Mousquetaires

Parrotshake

Australia

4.43/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours just about black. Viscous. About 2 fingers of tan head. I've seen this beer a couple times before but this is still exciting.

Burnt toast, licorice, malted milk, a twinge of maybe chocolate orange. Lovely nose. Plays out in the mouth about the same. Milk chocolate, molasses and black cherry along for the ride. A whole different profile to a big stout. Almost overwhelming amounts of flavor. Bittersweet and slightly astringent. Long finish with a decent amount of hop bitterness.

A fairly full-bodied beer with a fine and unobtrusive level of carbonation. Slightly warming. Profound and contemplative. I need to stop fucking around and buy a dozen to age. Love this.

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2012 22:22:30 | More by Parrotshake

eric5bellies

Australia

4.23/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Drank from my Duvel tulip

A - Pours a dark ebony colour with a large tanned head.

S - Pronounced malt, licorice and awooded barrell aged aroma.

T - Nice chocolate flavours, followed by sweet licorice. The sweetness comes back with a little warming booze flavour at the finish.

M - Merdium to full body with low to medium carbonation.

O - I haven't had a baltic porter for a while. I'll be having a few more after this. Its a cracking brew.

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2012 14:28:19 | More by eric5bellies

gford217

Georgia

4.03/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750ml bottle.

Pours deep, chocolate brown out of the bottle and settles in pretty close to black with a big thick tan head that leaves spotty lacing.

Aroma is heavily roasted black malts, bakers chocolate and some hints of smoke. There is also a bit of sweetness, especially the licorice and vanilla.

Taste is even sweeter with malted milk balls coming to mind - sweet chocolate and lactose with smoked malts and licorice. The finish is dry with bitter roasted malts and semi-sweet chocolate. Maybe a hint of cherry tartness as it warms, very subtle.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied with lots of carbonation and really, really smooth on the palate.

This is not one of the biggest or most flavorful Baltic porter but it's extremely tasty and sweeter in the taste than the nose suggests.

Serving type: bottle

04-05-2012 01:09:05 | More by gford217

phichifiji00

California

3.48/5  rDev -18.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Black, pours 2 fingers of thick tan head that fades slowly.

Smell: roasted malt, orange, estery, biscuit, chocolate, dark fruit, leather, oak.

Taste: roasted malt, a bit smokey, sweet, oak, coffee, molasses, chocolate, cherries.

Mouthfeel: full bodied, minimal carbonation, silky, smooth, creamy.

Overall: Very complex, sweet, smokey, woody, coffee, chocolate, almost too much going on here. Drinkability is moderate. WOuldn't be able to handle a whole bottle to myself.

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2012 06:26:42 | More by phichifiji00

CAMRAhardliner

Ontario (Canada)

4.13/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

Super thick viscous black liquid with a diminutive coffee colored head. The aroma is vinous and boozy, but not in a distracting way. The taste is very complex - coffee, chocolate, crème brulee, plums, mint, tobacco, berries, spicy hops and other flavors fill each sip. Alcohol heat isn't overbearing ever, but the 10% ABV is not immodest. The mouthfeel is thick and mouthcoating. Very good stuff. The finish is malty and boozy like a fine sherry. This is an excellent Baltic Porter. Its packed with flavor and very enjoyable on a cold winter night.

I used to think 'contemplative' was a bad word to describe a drink, but not with this beer. Seek it out if you can.

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2012 23:12:02 | More by CAMRAhardliner

RoamingGnome

Wisconsin

4.5/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from bottle into my Cheers drinking mug.

A) This is dark brown, pretty much black. There was a nice 2 finger khaki colored head that settled to a dusting. There was a good amount of sticky lacing.

S) The aroma is of dark roasted malt and smoke. There is a sweetness, like brown sugar slowly cooking down. As this warms there is also some pleasing pipe tobacco.

T) There are quite a few layers here. I picked up coffee, chocolate, dark fruit, drown sugar and a hint of sweet rum. This has an earthy/woody finish, and an aftertaste of smoke. The 10% ABV is remarkably well masked.

M) Rather full bodied, and lightly carbonated. This beer is rich and very smooth. A pleasure to drink.

O) Absolutely delicious... I wish I had another one of these in the cellar. Highly recommended...

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2012 01:50:28 | More by RoamingGnome

bbHOP

California

4.88/5  rDev +13.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Poured from bottle into snifter

Pours a very (very) nearly black with a thick, mocha head - about 1-finger with good lacing and strong retention. Very appetizing.

Roasted malts and smoke, tart dark fruits (prune and dark cherry) that come with a mild sweetness, touches of oak and maybe some black licorice. A LOT going on here...

Wow. Creamy sweetness gushes onto your palate, with hints of tart, dark fruits right alongside. This thing is almost milky... all riding on a bed of roasted malts. Smoke, chocolate and coffee notes play in the background, with burnt sugar, oak and a slight alcohol spice in the finish.

Mouthfeel is medium-full and super smooth / creamy, without being syrupy (doesn't get too dense). Mild carbonation throughout with a fairly dry finish and pleasant lingering notes of sweetness and oak.

Really - an amazing creation, this... the creamy sweetness, tart overtones and roasty, oaky, smokey goodness is over the top for me. It's a sipper for sure... what a pleasant and enjoyable brew.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2012 04:14:31 | More by bbHOP

rfgetz

New Jersey

4.33/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a rich, dark, brown with firm cap of brown froth, decent retention. First whiff brings notes of dark roasted malts, molasses, anise, dark bitter baking chocolate, full roast coffee beans, dark fruits such as plum and currant, faint acidity, port-like, light char. Taste takes all of these components and blends them wonderfully. Notes of bitter chocolate cake throughout, cherry, currant and plum like fruitiness. Backed by roasted malts, light molasses, notes of anise, wood, port wine, vanilla, char. Deeply complex. Fuller side of medium bodied, somewhat dry end. Fantastic representation of the style that takes it to another level. Imperial Baltic Porter?

Serving type: bottle

02-14-2012 14:32:12 | More by rfgetz

Cheesemoose

Florida

4.43/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Received in my RBMC. Poured into a 16oz snifter around 10oz, and slowly added more as needed.

Not quite pitch black on the pour. Some brown edges. Khaki/mocha head gives around 1 inch of head on a steady pour. Lacing and head retention, nonexistent. The body is a rich, deep black. Intense, and rich is my initial reaction.

Roasted malt explodes up the nose. On the back, you get a lovely bouquest of dark fruits. Cherries, black berries, raspberries, all included. A smidgen of alcohol, though non abrasive.

Sweet entrance, with the full fruit base of teh porter coming out. Mid body is the combination of the fruit with the rich roasted nature of this beer. Some coffee, caramel notes, though subdued to a sweet berry juice figure that is complimented in the finish by deep roasted and burnt malt character. Full bodied, rich, inviting and no alcohol at all.

Some residual stickiness and a carbonation issue that needs some work. Perhaps some age would improve both this, and the forward nature of the roasted malt and berry sweetness.

Overall, a damn fine beer, though a bit of age could bring it into a class of its own. My other bottle, I'll sit on that bad boy for at least a year. This beast could take it.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2012 05:50:08 | More by Cheesemoose

Dope

Massachusetts

4.5/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Almost pitch black with a nice big dense chocolate milk colored head. Great head retention, sticks around almost forever. Excellent lacing as well.

S: Lots of roasted malt with some bitter coffee and creamy chocolate. Molasses, caramel and brown sugar too. Perhaps a little dark fruit as it warms up.

T: Whoa, a lot going on. Up front there are some excellent cherries and raisins and maybe prunes or plums? Fades into a creamy roasted malt (which is present throughout) with caramel and molasses and chocolate flavor. Bitter coffee comes last, lingering in the aftertaste. Maybe a hint of lactose - super creamy.

M: Big, creamy, smooth, delightful.

O: A lot of times a big porter is just a stout. This is noticeably different. The roasted malt isn't as dominant as you would find on a 10% stout. Instead the fruitiness is a little more apparent, making it lighter than it really is. This is a great baltic porter, perhaps dethroning my previous favorite - Smuttynose Baltic Porter.

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2012 05:51:35 | More by Dope

tallarin

California

4.83/5  rDev +12.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Received this through the rare beer club, first one of the two opened.

This beer pours a dark, mahogany, producing a nice thick tan head. The aroma in this is very complex, giving notes of dark fruits (prunes, dates, fig) and some chocolate.

Flavorwise, it's very complex. Ranging from fruity notes, to earthy/oaky, dry fruit. The perception of alcohol increases as it warms up. Not much in the way of hops, but it's to be expected from a beer like this. I really have to give it to the brewers, I dont know if they achieved such complexity through their malt bill, fermentation process, or aging.

Overall, this beer is excellent! Definitely hope to get a second.

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2012 02:25:39 | More by tallarin

Cyclone8

Minnesota

4.58/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

This is how great this beer is - I placed an order for 2 (more) bottles from the "Rare Beer Club" (which I highly recommend) after tasting it. Then as I continued to drink, I ordered 2 more - it's so delicious that I had to make sure I have some to enjoy and some to cellar.
There is surprisingly little nose to it, which I found disappointing - that's one of my favorite parts of a good beer. But the taste - it had so much flavor it was like an amazing meal, I felt like I was dining in Moscow with some of my best buddies, it was blissful and transporting. I've had good porters/stouts, and this one ranks up in the very highest tier.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2012 22:18:24 | More by Cyclone8

mwilbur

Minnesota

4.85/5  rDev +13.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

2011 vintage. Poured from 750 mL bottle into shaker pint glass.
A: Pours a beautiful thick, syrupy opaque dark brown-black with 2-3 inch dark tan head that slowly recedes. Good lacing to boot. Wonderful for style.
S: Earthy funk hits from a few feet away. Upon closer inspection, deep and dark roasted caramel malt, coffee, molasses, leather, and wood smoke emerge. An intoxicating aroma and, again, perfection.
T: Dark roast coffee with smooth and sweet dark roast caramel malt up front. In the background play some mulched earth funk, cherry, plum, wood smoke, sweet cigar tobacco, brown sugar, and dates. Beautiful complexity.
M: Smooth, oily, and heavy feel. Dark sweetness gives way to a hint of spice midway through and then to a mildly bitter smokey finish. Leather, tobacco, and earth notes in the finish as well which lingers and matures nicely on the palate. Turn up the bitterness in the finish a bit and this would be perfection, but man am I nit-picking.
D: Wow. Wonderfully complex and yet a relatively easy drinker (even with an ABV of 10%). Best beer I've had in a long, long time. Style defining. Simply phenomenal...seek it out...now.

Serving type: bottle

01-31-2012 05:11:43 | More by mwilbur

charlesw

New York

4.68/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Beautifully deep deep brown almost black and utterly and completely opaque. 3/4" of really dark really tight head that sticks around a really long time. Fricking awesome! Smells deeply of chocolate, earthy tones, dark roast coffee, raking old wet leaves... Still freaking awesome!

First taste is overwhelmingly sweet chocolate milk. Second taste is slightly less sweet, maybe bittersweet chocolate. As you're going through it the flavors are getting more complex and coming out all over the mouth. There's woodiness and maybe some ash in the end and you catch a hint of citrus, maybe, every third or fourth sip. I'm blown away at how different it is mouthful to mouthful! I'm blown away that my SO picked this one up (randomly) and that I totally missed it. I'm kind of bummed that we only got one of them - this stuff rocks!

Edit: the SO says that it wasn't a random choice - she picked it because it's the WBA best Baltic porter. Which just goes to show that the WBA knows what they're talking about, man!

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2012 19:12:04 | More by charlesw

PeerlessMark

Ontario (Canada)

4.4/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Enjoyed a bottle for Christmas right after a lamb dinner. Pours thick and heavy like a roasted coffee and creates a thin and frothy chocolaty brown head that dissipates into smaller bubbles quickly.

The smell is like boiled liquorice and blackcurrant, gives off a boozy and inviting aroma. The taste is full on and complex. I get a lot of ash and dark bitter chocolate and the black currant is there for sure. The finish is fairly hoppy for me. It's a delicious beer that makes me want more even as I'm swallowing the most recent sip.

Mouthfeel is great and satisfying, perfect carbonation across the tongue and a sour finish as I swallow that is replaced with a bit of sweet when I get the next hit.

I tried the barrel aged version of this at Cask Days in Toronto and enjoyed that a bit more it was more complex and adventurous than the bottled version.

Bottle was 10 bucks at the LCBO and limited quantities saw it mostly sell out before Christmas 2011.

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2011 22:14:03 | More by PeerlessMark

DaftCaskBC

British Columbia (Canada)

4.38/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: 1/8" light brown head over cola coloured liquid.

S: Toasted malt, caramel and salt.

T: Toasted malt and caramel combined with a smooth creamy mouthfeel and a touch of smoke.

M: Creamy mouthfeel like a milk stout or oatmeal stout.

O: Very nice taste and mouthfeel in this Baltic Porter. If I lived closer to Quebec I would drink one more regularly.

Serving type: bottle

11-27-2011 18:59:39 | More by DaftCaskBC

Rutager

British Columbia (Canada)

4.38/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Very generously shared by DraftCaskBC this evening.

Appearance. Deep brown, nearly black with half a finger of creamy brown head.

Smell. Nice dark roasty malts with a little brininess.

Taste. Again, dark and roasty malts, caramel and dark chocolate. Just a little sweet with a hint of salt, smoke and molasses.

Mouthfeel. Medium body with smooth, medium-low carbonation.

Overall. Really nice beer here. Roasty and delicious

Serving type: bottle

11-27-2011 01:34:52 | More by Rutager

Foddz

Ontario (Canada)

4.47/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: Inky black, almost perfectly opaque. Plenty of thick creamy head that persists nicely after the pour. Moderate lacing continues even untill the end of the glass.

S: Dark, toasty malts. Dark coffee, hints of wood smoke, chocolate, and ripe dark fruits also noticeable.

T: Yum! Toasty as the nose. Dark, malty, chocolate and coffee predominates. Slight smokiness. Toffee and caramel notes with a hint of cherry underneath. Predominantly bitter, but not overpoweringly so. Lingering aftertastes persist long after finished drinking, but in a very pleasant way.

M: Smooth and silky, rich, with a pleasant tingle of carbonation. Moderate dryness with a bit of alcohol.

D/O: Exceptionally pleasant to drink. This is a very well balanced porter with a bold, complex, and very enjoyable palate.

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2011 04:30:24 | More by Foddz

korguy123

Ontario (Canada)

4.5/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Autumn 2009 bottle thanks to TheSevenDuffs!

A- Totally opaque black with four finger dark tan head. Settles to thin cap. Lacing is fantastic.

S- Slight alcohol, bitter roasted coffee, bakers chocolate, vanilla and a licorice and molasses.

T- Bitter roasted coffee, dark chocolate, licorice and molasses with a warming alcohol taste.

M- Creamy and full bodied, prickly carbonation with a warming alcohol finish. Sticky on the lips.

O- One word... Awesome!

Serving type: bottle

11-13-2011 00:17:27 | More by korguy123

jrenihan

Ontario (Canada)

4.43/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

2011 edition- bottled July 1, 2011.

Beer is nearly black with ruby red hints. The red colour is more apparent when pouring out of the bottle- in the glass this is very dark. A very active tan head of moderate size- lots and lots of very small bubbles popping all over. Head dissipates fairly quickly.

Chocolate/cocoa powder and coffee scents abound in the nose. Some caramel is there as well. A bit of a tart cherry scent is lurking around as well. A woody scent is present, with a hint of smoke.

Taste is very rich. Huge chocolate flavour, coupled with the tart cherry that was noticeable on the nose. The chocolate flavours are not particularly sweet, and the beer finishes fairly bitter. Reminds me of cocoa powder rather than milk chocolate. I find the taste quite variable- sometimes I get almost entirely chocolate, others it is the cherry that is the focus. The wood scent is present in the flavour as well- almost as if this was lightly barrel aged, though not nearly in the way that the actual barrel aged version is. Really good.

Pretty high carbonation level, slightly too much. Beer otherwise has a very silky feel, coats the whole mouth. A bit sticky.

Overall, a great beer! Lived up to the hype for me.

Serving type: bottle

11-12-2011 01:02:37 | More by jrenihan

Reagan1984

Massachusetts

3.93/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Thanks Alex (Masterski) for this one.

A tan head forms and stays for a brief visit. Fades away leaving little lace behind. Dark brown beer with light penetrating through at the edges. Looks a bit like just standard black coffee.

Aroma is of dark malt. Really a lot of that malt aroma as if you were brewing. Some chocolate sauce and a touch of alcohol.

I get a great deal of chocolate, especially as it warms.Some prune as well. A hint of alcohol late in the profile.

Almost a light powdery feel on the tongue. Medium bodied...

Pretty good Baltic Porter. I usually like a touch more body and some more smoothness, but still solid.

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2011 03:38:03 | More by Reagan1984

spinrsx

Ontario (Canada)

3.83/5  rDev -10.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

750ml Bottle

Appearance - The beer pours a black/brown colour with an average size fizzy light brown coloured head. I can't see much carbonation due the darkness of the beer and there is some fair lacing on the sides of the glass. The head lasted for 5 minutes before it was gone.

Smell - Chocolate, malts, smoke, roasted nuts

Taste & Mouth - The beer has a low amount of carbonation and it feels slightly thin on the tongue. I can taste chocolate mixed with malts and a roasted/smoke taste. I swear at first I could taste smoked meat.. but that faded as my glass progressed. It also has the same hoppy taste found in all the other LTM beers. It ends with a chocolatey sweet slightly bitter aftertaste.

Overall – I have to say I was a little disappointed in this beer. The appearance wasn't great and the taste and smell were just slightly above average. The main highlight is probably how well of a job it does hiding the 10% alcohol level. Maybe a little age would have helped this bottle. It's still good and if you're a fan of the style you should check it out. I just wouldn't buy it again.

Serving type: bottle

11-07-2011 16:35:07 | More by spinrsx

Stocean1

Ontario (Canada)

4.22/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Pours a two finger head upon a near black bodym, some lacing with decent retention. Root beer head.

S: Smells of chocolate, coffee, burnt malt, anise and licorice.

T: Sweet and follows the nose. All of what I enjoy about an imperial stout but with a lager twist.

M: Mouthfeel is medium-full with some carbonation. Not overly bitter.

O: An excellent brew that held up well at the head of a long tasting session.

Serving type: bottle

11-05-2011 16:57:29 | More by Stocean1

mrnobody

Ontario (Canada)

4.5/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

750 ml bottle poured into a Duvel tulip.

A: Pours a dark brown/black with a massive 3 plus finger root beer head. Average retention, a little lacing.

S: Smells of chocolate, coffee, mild roastiness, cream, licorice.

T: Rich, sweet and tasty. Reminds me a lot of an imperial stout with lots of delicious chocolate and coffee flavours. Alcohol is felt, not tasted.

M: Mouthfeel is medium-full and creamy with suitably low carbonation.

D: For 10% ABV, the drinkability is outstanding!

Serving type: bottle

11-05-2011 03:08:39 | More by mrnobody

Digimaika2

Ontario (Canada)

4.25/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Pours near pitch black with a reddish hue, accompanied by a tall and creamy mocha coloured foam head. Very good retention combined with some good lacing.

S: Woody/earthy elements, leather, smoke, chocolate, caramel, and dark fruits. Very appealing with quite a unique blend of aromas going on here.

T: Very similar to smell with a syrupy dark chocolate and damp wood tastes coming through initially. Follows with some toffee and dark fruits (plums, dates, cherries). A lingering and quite potent smoky element is present. Alcohol is slightly noticeable but quite well hidden considering. Quite an overall malty sweet taste but the smoke and earthy elements cuts through it enough to provide a good contrast.

M: Full body with an appropriate level of moderate carbonation. Creamy and oily. Near perfect.

D: I'm enjoying the combination of these tastes - Malty sweet (toffee & dark fruits) against the earthy (damp wood) and smoke qualities. Will be stocking up on this before it's gone.

Serving type: bottle

11-04-2011 00:13:15 | More by Digimaika2