Narwhal Imperial Stout - Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.

rdilauro

Connecticut

3.78/5  rDev -8.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Tis the stout season and I've been trying them all. Another nice beer from Sierra Nevada.
The pour was black, not quite jet black, but the first thing I noticed as I poured was a lot of carbonation.

The taste was more chocolate than coffee to me, perhaps a little blueberry in there. I was surprised by the amount of carbonation. That was the one thing that sort of left me a bit while tasting this one.

Because of the carbonation, I really had a hard time feeling the complete mouthful and then the final after taste.

Serving type: bottle

11-17-2012 18:38:33 | More by rdilauro

starrdogg

District of Columbia

3.78/5  rDev -8.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Beer pours black with a fluffy brown head. Smell is quite nice, a mostly chocolate and cocoa with hints of roast. Flavor doesn't come together as well as I'd hoped after the nice nose. It's got a lot of flavor with a lot more roast than I had expected. It starts out smooth and chocolatey, but halfway through it punches you with a bitter roastiness that overwhelms the flavor. Mouthfeel is medium-full bodied with nice carbonation. This is a nice stout, but the balance could be better, and the overwhelming roastiness in the finish is a bit much. It leaves a not-so-great flavor lingering on the palate as well.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2013 22:28:12 | More by starrdogg

macrosmatic

Florida

3.78/5  rDev -8.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Reviewed from notes. Poured from 12 oz. bottle into an Upland pint glass.

A: Very dark brown to black, nearly opaque. A one and a half finger's worth of espresso-colored head forms over a low amount of visible carbonation.

S: Overall a low amount of aroma. Some roasted malt, coffee, and just a bit of citrus hops.

T: Sweet malts, coffee and cacao, some citrus and bitter hoppiness. Sweet with a touch of bitter in the hang.

M: A relatively thick mouthfeel, moderate alcohol, low carbonation sensation.

O: I had a taste of this on tap a few weeks back, and I was really impressed. Out of the bottle, not so much. Not a bad beer still, but there are many better RIS options out there.

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2013 06:24:51 | More by macrosmatic

Stevedore

Wisconsin

3.8/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

(Note: my personal scoring system goes in whole numbers only)

2012 vintage 12oz bottle with bottling date 279 Julian, drank in snifter today 2/5/13

Aroma- A crisp roasty sweetness remniscent of burnt sugar, with some chocolate and coffee in the nose which I have to work a bit for. Pretty average for an imperial stout. (3)

Colour- Black cola-colour pouring with a 2-3cm brown head that sticks around for a good five minutes. Lacing is persistent but spotty. (4)

Flavour- Bold chocolate and roasted black coffee. A little bit of vanilla as well as hints of smokiness. (4)

Mouthfeel- A nice thick body with ok carbonation. Nothing special. It runs a bit dry with a good amount of heat. Aftertaste is of burnt malt and black coffee but doesn't linger all that long. (4)

Overall- Above-average, good-tasting double stout that comes with fairly complex flavors. But it's running rather hot and I think some age will do it some good. I'll stash a few away for next winter. (4)

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2013 00:37:10 | More by Stevedore

FeDUBBELFIST

Pennsylvania

3.8/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

$4.50 for the 12oz bottle, served in a tulip
Bottle code 2279213:35
Sampled 03MAR13

[A] A swift pour produces a slim head of medium-dark brown color, foamy and quick to diminish. A small ring of foam around the glass is all that is left 30 seconds after the pour. The body is completely black with no transparency at any point. Short, drooping strands of lace stick to 1/3rd of the glass. No lacing.

[S] The least impressive part of the beer. Semi-sweet chocolate, fudge and cocoa powder. Neutral yeast, maybe a few berry-like esters and evident alcohol. Nothing special.

[T] General chocolate and roast - neither are overpowering. Midpalate the bitterness comes forward in the form of fresh pine and rich soil. Deep chocolate notes return after the smooth bitterness fades. Long lasting flavor.

[M] Medium body with a silky smooth texture at first, but a semi coarse, long lasting effervescence later. The latter part is not exactly complimentary to the style in my opinion.

[O] For whatever reason, Narwhal performs a little better out of the bottle than it did on draft two months ago. It was really underwhelming at that point. Today, while a bit better, it still isn't as good as some regularly available high gravity stouts, like Yeti, for example.

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2013 15:10:11 | More by FeDUBBELFIST

stakem

Pennsylvania

3.83/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

12oz bottle into a matching Sierra Nevada snifter. Big thanks go to Kegatron for gifting me with some of this. The brew pours black with a khaki colored head that froths up with more than a finger that is silky and paints the wall of the glass with a full webby pattern of lacing effect. When held to the light, the brew shows some ruby clarity faintly around the edges.

The aroma displays plenty of roast imparting faint notes of coffee, chocolate, earth, char and hints of citrus to fruity hops. The alcohol is present with a bit of fruity ester. When swirled, a bit of cheesiness and sulfur emerges with some mineral components. Overall though, this is a fine smelling brew for more than 10%.

The taste includes the previously mentioned dry roasted graininess that imparts flavors of coffee, and roasty earth. A bit leathery with the most mild touch of dark fruity alcohol notes. Some hop character is present giving this a touch of citrus and complimenting fruity to pine notes. The aftertaste has a bit of baker's chocolate included. As the brew warms up, that 10% alcohol starts to become readily noticeable with an almost neutral solvent burn across the tongue.

This is a medium bodied offering with a modest amount of carbonation. It is relatively smooth and easy drinking for something above 10%. I think Sierra Nevada was well overdue in putting a RIS into their regular lineup. This one fills the void in their catalog quite nicely. I would and will drink this one again when it is made available to me. Thank you for sharing Heath!

Serving type: bottle

01-10-2013 02:56:18 | More by stakem

Samuel906

California

3.85/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Appearance:

Black as night, thick and heavy like the darkest of motor oils. Had almost no head when poured slowly from an ice cold bottle into a tulip. Almost bizarre not seeing any head and it just adds to how insanely black it is. Some earthy brown bubbles began to slowly form but didn't remain long, and diminished to a fine lace around the glass.

Aroma:

Probably the weakest point of this beer. If your someone like myself who likes to frequently get a nice nose-full of your beers aroma, you won't find yourself going back to sniff this one too frequently. The aromas you expect are there - chocolate, roasted coffee, malts - but it just doesn't have the impact you would expect from an Imperial stout. I thought it smelled more like a milder Irish Stout than a heavy Imperial.

Palate:

Thick, heavy and glorious with mild carbonation. Creamy, soft, and every other adjective you can apply to a good Imperial Stout. One of my favorite parts of this brew. It's like a dark, chocolatey pillow for your tongue.

Taste:

Like a true Imperial Stout, coffee and chocolate are your major players here. Bitter, rich baking chocolate and cocoa... The coffee reminds me of a dark espresso roast; toasted nuts, slightly caramelly. Mild chocolatey aftertaste will make you think you just ate a Hershey's kiss. This beer is also much less sweet than I was expecting. If you're used to the diabetes-in-a-bottle stereotypical Imperial Stouts, this is a welcome change. I would like to note that as I write this and the beer warms, it really comes to life. The added flavor with the mild warmth from the impressive ABV really do make this feel like a blanket for your mouth and stomach.

Overall:

In my mind, the direct competition for this beer is the Samuel Adams Imperial Stout that comes in the blue and black four pack, are similarly priced, and even features some similar artwork and stylistic themes. The Narwhal is a terrific Imperial Stout, the mothfeel is absolutely spot on, and while the flavors are strong, the taste never gets over bearing like some Imperials do. However it is nothing overly exciting or novel, and personally I feel that something like the Samuel Adams Imperial Stout would be a better overall choice. Again, I want to reiterate that this is a TERRIFIC BEER, but it has some impressive competition that just slightly edges it out. If you're looking to mix it up or just to try something new, you won't be disappointed.

Serving type: bottle

10-28-2012 06:30:44 | More by Samuel906

Auror

Massachusetts

3.85/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from 12oz bottle to CBS snifter on 11/03/12.

Appearance- Jet black with an iced coffee colored mocha head. Medium head on pour leads to persistent half inch ring. Excellent lacing..

Smell- Roasted malts, coffee, bitter chocolate. A bit smokier than I anticipated, not as much chocolate.

Taste- Flavor takes a back seat to mouthfeel. Sticky sweetness leads to a lingering piney bitterness. Individual flavors aren't very easy to pick out. It's mainly some sweetness, then roasted notes, followed by bitterness. Insert your favorite placeholder flavor (vanilla to smoke to hops).

Mouthfeel- Thick, viscous, coating, and slightly chewy. Carbonation levels prevent the beer from being as creamy as I like my stouts to be.

Overall- Considering this doesn't taste up my alley, I can at least appreciate the well-made aspects of it. The sweetness and bitterness balance well in the taste, although I think both are a little heavy. Alcohol is not very noticeable for a 10% plus beer. My score turned out very odd for this one.

Serving type: bottle

11-04-2012 00:05:31 | More by Auror

Jimmys

Pennsylvania

3.85/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

2012 bottle into SAVOR tulip.

A: pretty dark body, just a shade under black. head is coffee hued and forthy. residual head is average as is the lacing.

S: chocolate, tobacco, and coffee. the sugary sweetness has a roundness to it.

T: some black licorice is in there. a little bit of vanilla. finish is a blend of coco and coffee. lingering sweetness is pretty close to a dry chocolate.

M: the carbonation is a bit lively. more-so than i expected. full bodied.

D: a good stout for sure, unfortunately for myself i expected a little more. maybe an additional dimension of flavor that i couldnt find. however i do appreciate the lack of alcohol heat on such a recent, high abv stout. good, definitely worth grabbing for a solid stout experience.

Serving type: bottle

11-29-2012 02:35:17 | More by Jimmys

billab914

Virginia

3.85/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

1oz bottle poured into my Devil's Backbone glass. Pitch black in color with a thick foamy head filling the top inch of the glass. Nice retention and lacing as I drank it.

Aroma has dark, roasted malts mixing with milky chocolate. It's got a noticeable hop presence to it as well. The roasted malts bring a little bit of a coffee flavor with them as well. Nice aroma overall.

The taste also shows a good amount of hoppiness to it with some herbal and citrus notes present throughout. The dark, roasted malts are bold and bring more of a darker chocolate and coffee flavor out. A little sweet, milky chocolate in the finish along with a little alcohol.

The mouthfeel is on the heavier side with carbonation being a little above average for the style. Overall, it's a very solid beer. It's a little hoppier than prefer in the style, but it comes together very well. The roasted malts were very bold, which really liked. Very nice beer overall.

Serving type: bottle

12-13-2012 00:54:23 | More by billab914

Moorfog

3.85/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Interesting imperial stout....

This is without a doubt the blackest stout i've encountered, very dark. Head is an interesting shade of almost grey, two finger with a aggressive pour. Nice lacing.

The nose on this is off kilter. Obviously of what you would expect in a stout, but not a bold nose. Has a certain sour quality to the nose that is distracting, and not in a nice way, along with the chocolate and coffee.

Taste, it's much bolder than the nose. Espresso, bakers chocolate is front and center, maybe a little prune, and a decent hop bite for what it is, complimenting the bitterness of the other elements. It's malt is of a bitter quality as opposed to a obnoxious sweetness, so it works. It is a malt bomb being what it is of course. And yes, the alcohol warmth is noticeable, but not overboard.

Mouthfeel is a real letdown. For an imperial stout, it's too thin and over carbonated for the style, but i'm sure some would disagree with my opinion. And as another reviewer stated, it has a chalky quality after about 45 seconds, which is interesting, haven't experienced this in a beer, and kinda neat.

I'd say it's very good beer, and worth a try. There are other imperial stouts I prefer, but this is very good and certainly worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

12-14-2012 03:41:38 | More by Moorfog

Gosox8787

New Hampshire

3.85/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Presentation: 12 oz. stubby bottle from a four pack. Poured into a Dogfish Head tulip and served chilled.

Appearance: Dark brown to black in color. Pours a really nice, one finger medium brown head with decent retention. Recedes into a nice thin lacing.

Aroma: Roasted malt and a light smoke note. Nice bit of coffee beans and light milk chocolate. A tad more smoky than sweet.

Taste: The ABV is extremely well hidden in this beer. Light coffee bitterness with a nice smoke touch that weaves in and out. Some very light milk chocolate sweetness as well. Some leather and earthy notes as well. Really well balanced.

Mouthfeel: Medium to full bodied and smooth throughout. Carbonation is on the low end.

Overall, a really balanced and tasty off the shelf imperial stout. It does feel a little boring and one note at times. The smoke and roasted malt characters create a nice background and the booze is very well hidden. I could use a bit more sweetness to offset the smoke and earth tones. A good buy but not up there with my favorite stouts.

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2012 01:59:56 | More by Gosox8787

bmwats

Louisiana

3.85/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a standard pint.

A: Black. Pours about a finger and a half, foamy, brown head. Disintegrates slowly. Eventually settles to a thick blanket with a foamy buildup around the sides of the glass. Sporadic lacing.

S: Earthy malt tone, dark chocolate, with a little black licorice.

T: Unsweetened dark chocolate, lots of licorice, pecan shells.

M: Thick, hearty, and syrupy. Slight bitterness lingers throughout.

D: Sip and enjoy.

Atmosphere is solid. Dark, intimidating appearance, nice head, and fair lacing. Nose is basic and characteristic dark chocolate and licorice. Tastes like is smells.... bitter chocolate and licorice. Overall, this is a pretty good quaff.

Serving type: bottle

12-22-2012 03:26:31 | More by bmwats

JEdmund

Kansas

3.88/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Inky black, quarter inch tan head that settles down quickly.

Rich aroma of chocolate, like cocoa powder. Not an especially big aroma, but that might be because it’s not so huge on hops. Still, good and inviting.

Big roast flavor and strong dark chocolate flavor in the finish—not to mention a fairly big wave of alcohol heat on this 10% whale of a beer. Just big flavor in general, all coming together nicely in the finish. Body is also robust, with a smooth texture and enough carbonation to also tickle the tongue. Hops are fairly neutral, providing for a clean cut in the finish. It doesn’t blow me away, but I also have no complaints. I think I’d need to try it against others to see how it really compares.

Sierra Nevada has done a nice job on this style, not surprisingly. I’m going to enjoy savoring the other three, and I’ll see how one evolves with a year’s worth of age.

Serving type: bottle

11-18-2012 17:21:50 | More by JEdmund

WanderingFool

Massachusetts

3.88/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Narwhal pours black into the glass with a big, tan head on top. The foam disappears quickly leaving only a few spots of lace on the glass.

The aroma has notes of pine, roasted malt, chocolate and toffee. The aroma improves as the beer warms.

Each sip of this medium to full bodied beer is creamy, slightly chewy with moderate carbonation. The rich flavor is nice and malty with a bitter finish. It begins with roast malt and chocolate. Some dark fruit and nuts come through in the middle. It finishes with some bitter pine flavors. Once gone the chocolate and piney bitterness lingers on the palate.

For 10% abv this is a quite drinkable beer. Well balanced with full flavors as the beer warms.

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2012 22:15:40 | More by WanderingFool

dahlen22

New Jersey

3.88/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Black with a decent head.

Aroma: Chocolate and coffee notes.

Taste: Same as the nose. Cocoa, coffee, with a nuttyness and smooth and velvety on the palate.

Overall: Good beer for the colder winter months (forget this in the warmer months). Was well balanced, smooth, and the alcohol is well hidden considering the abv. For you casual stout (guinness) drinkers, this one might be too big, but if you love real stouts, this is a keeper. Cheers!!

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2012 23:42:38 | More by dahlen22

wvsabbath

West Virginia

3.88/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Serving type -Bottle

Appearance - Black as oil with a thick, foamy, 1 inch head. Lots of stick lacing. Look s nice.

Smell - Roasted malts, sweet brown sugars, molassess, dark fruits like plum and rasin. Coffee/chocolate aroma. Not overly strong aroma.

Taste - First sip this drinks more like a american stout then a ris. Plenty of chocolate, roasted malts, and coffee. Has a nice backbone of honey/molassess/brown sugar to add some sweetness. Nice mix of hops and fruits also adds flavor. Slight alcohol warmth at the finish.

Mouthfeel - Malts hit the tounge with roasty notes, chocolate and coffee come in after. Palate gets more malts, along with sugars, some hops and fruits. Finish is a little dry and malty.

Overall - Nice beer, but drinks closer to a american stout then a ris. Really smooth, and the alcohol is masked really well. Honestly, i expect big flavor and plenty of alcohol with ris's and this is really tame compaired to something like a yeti or a founders ris. Still good but id pass this off for the others mentioned. Worth a drink though.

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2013 22:37:56 | More by wvsabbath

philbe311

Pennsylvania

3.89/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

A - One finger's worth of slightly active crisp two toned (part khaki / part medium brown) swirled head... Modest at best retention yields a splotchy veil of lacing in the center of the glass surrounded by a moderate to thick collar... The color isn't quite black, but rather a deep dark sweet caramel that lets the slightest bit of light leak in around the edges... A few small streaks of carbonation can be seen towards the top of the glass... A good bit of lacing clings to the sides of the glass...

S - Sweet to start... Caramel... Milk chocolate... Toffee... Brown sugar... Dark molasses... A slight hint of dark fruits... A bit of nuttiness as well...

T - A bit of the sweetness fades on the palate and is replaced by a brisk roasted malt component.... The sweet and roasty place nice together throughout... Good balance... Nice complexity with each sip... A slight bit of coffee emerges on the finish...

M - Full bodied, but not harsh... Smooth and sleek... Very limited carbonation... Goes down very easily sip after sip...

D - This is a very nice yet unremarkable Russian Imperial Stout... Tasty but a bit understated for the power and umph I typically expect for the style which isn't necessarily a bad thing... Goes down easily and is surprisingly drinkable given the 10+% ABV... I would gladly drink again...

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2013 03:57:10 | More by philbe311

brewcrew76

Wisconsin

3.89/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Black with ruby highlights and little if any tan foam.

S - Burnt malt, alcohol, dark fruit, chocolate milk and light alcohol.

T - Bittersweet chocolate, burnt malt, coffee grounds, some herbal hop bitterness, some hot alcohol, molasses, light vanilla and dark fruits as it warms.

M - Full body, appears lightly carbonated until it hits the mouth and then a touch tingly on the way down. Warming.

D - Strong on the burnt bold flavors but still complex. Nicely done.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2013 00:15:03 | More by brewcrew76

JackMcAwesome

Florida

3.89/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from the bottle into a mug.

Appearance:
Completely black. Even the pour was black. Not much head, it went away quickly. I wasn't that aggressive with the pouring though, so maybe that's why.

Smell:
Like most others to be honest. A bit of chocolate, a bit of coffee. Maybe even steak sauce. haha. Interesting. And it lingers, which is always nice.

Taste:
Nothing distinguishable here. It's good, I just can't pick up anything with my rookie taste buds. Cocoa, maybe even some licorice.

Feel:
Heavy, with moderate carbonation. Great really. Everything I'd expect from a stout.

Overall:
This one is near the top of my list as I get more and more into stouts. The abv being where it's at is almost indistinguishable. This is one I'll revisit when I go for more stouts, just as a constant when I try others.

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2013 00:37:32 | More by JackMcAwesome

Bung

North Carolina

3.9/5  rDev -6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz. Pretty standard black pour, nice layer of light tan head.

Aroma, roast malt, anise, a light pine and herbal hop aroma.

Taste very balanced roast, chocolates and bitter. Dark chocolate, anise, coffee. Coffee and a muted pine linger nicely.

Mouthfeel, probably the best part. A near creamy well coating stout. Alcohol is pretty well hidden.

Thought this was pretty nice, much better than the beer camp imperial oatmeal stout, not quite as nice as the 30th anniversary stuff. Worth a try at the price.

Serving type: bottle

10-23-2012 02:19:33 | More by Bung

kawilliams81

Illinois

3.9/5  rDev -6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a 8 oz snifter.

A- pours jet black with a 1 finger beige head. Some blotches of lacing remain.

S- dark chocolate, coffee, roast and an herbal tone (not mint).

T- bitter coffee, dark chocolate, again herbal something, and bitter pine.

M- medium body and carbonation. Slick, chalky and slightly dry.

O- this is a hoppy RIS for sure. Almost reminds me more of a imperial black ale, but where do you draw the line? Still a very good and enjoyable beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-08-2012 04:04:30 | More by kawilliams81

Durge

Connecticut

3.9/5  rDev -6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This imperial stout is a nearly jet black color with a nice light brown head and good lacing. The aroma offers clean, muted malt, nothing prolific. The flavor is full of thick malt and medicinal grass bite, mineral water and charcoal blended into a unique mouthful of stout. Sharp malty goodness, and not much else to say. Full bodied I'd say with a somewhat oily feel. Very tiny bubbles for a subtle but adequate carbonation. Quality stuff though not something I would have to revisit. Classy brew none the less.

Serving type: bottle

11-13-2012 03:09:49 | More by Durge

kangarooAdam59

Maine

3.9/5  rDev -6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Into a nonic:

A: dark black colored body yielded a film of a white head, some nice speckled, block-like lacing formed boxes around the sides of the pint glass, interesting.

S: dry, roasty cocoa and coffee up front with a stronger touch of hops than most RIS's in the background, and some vanilla as the beer warmed.

T: dry and roasty between the coffee and cocoa and brought back some of that bitter hops. The finish was very dry.

M: medium with nothing harsh on the tongue and fairly drinkable. For 10.20%, this certrainly doesn't feel that way.

O: this one has more hops in this one than most RIS's (or at least the ones I've had), still I liked it because the domineering qualities of a normal RIS showed up. Personally, I'm glad Sierra Nevada gave us their take on an RIS.

Serving type: bottle

11-13-2012 16:12:30 | More by kangarooAdam59

Broden

California

3.9/5  rDev -6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A- Poured from bottle. Beer is jet black with slight opaqueness around the edges of the beer. A slight layer of brownish head rapidly dissipates.

S- Smell was subtle for me. Roasted malt, chocolate, and some coffee. Not terribly impressed with the smell.

T- Taste was of coffee, chocolate, and roasted malt...a lot of roasted malt. This beer came across as very, very bitter. SN puts it at 60 IBU so it seems as though a lot of the bitterness is coming from the malt. I little bit to bitter for my taste when it comes to this style.

M- I did not feel the body to be as full as other reviews have stated. I felt it to be medium bodied, and on the dry side of this style.

O- A little disappointed with this beer. I was VERY VERY excited to give it a try as I am a big SN fan. I will be giving this another go in the near future, and then keeping a few bottle to try after its got some age on it.

I think UNDERWHELMING is how I would describe this beer.

EDIT - 11/20/2012

Just had Narwhal on tap at a local bar. They paid attention to glassware, and proper serving temp. I enjoyed this beer significantly more on tap. Still a tad on the bitter side of where I enjoy my Imperial Stouts.

Serving type: bottle

11-16-2012 08:14:32 | More by Broden