Capricho Oscuro - Batch 2 - Cigar City Brewing

hoppymeal

Michigan

4.25/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Batch 2, 2009. Bottle 44/450. Pours dark brown to black in color, some haziness is evident during the pour, a ½ inch coffee and cream tan head slowly recedes back to a faint covering. Aroma is fairly complex with some strong bourbony notes, some rich, sweet chocolate, woodiness, some nuttiness (almost sunflower seed like). Taste follows with some of the chocolate notes flashing over the tongue, before a decent smokiness as well as a strong bourbony tanginess take over. Some nutty flavor in there also, as well as a nice earthy taste towards the finish, and some black licorice notes. Mouthfeel is medium in body, medium level of carbonation, a bit of a peppery bite on the tongue, with a drying woody and earthy finish. A very interesting beer, great bourbon and smokey combination, and the chocolate and earthy notes work very well together too. A huge thanks for the hookup to the Orlando crew and major thanks to my buddy Kyle as well.

Serving type: bottle

12-06-2009 00:16:25 | More by hoppymeal

t0rin0

California

3/5  rDev -30.6%

09-10-2012 03:29:15 | More by t0rin0

brystmar

New York

3.5/5  rDev -19%

08-07-2012 04:09:58 | More by brystmar

KAF

Iowa

3.5/5  rDev -19%

01-26-2012 21:09:07 | More by KAF

whartontallboy

New York

4.5/5  rDev +4.2%

01-02-2012 21:51:14 | More by whartontallboy

bespin15

Washington

5/5  rDev +15.7%

12-08-2011 16:35:33 | More by bespin15

jerz

California

4/5  rDev -7.4%

11-18-2011 05:26:48 | More by jerz

jh1982

Nevada

5/5  rDev +15.7%

11-16-2011 22:12:04 | More by jh1982

Photekut

Azerbaijan

5/5  rDev +15.7%

11-16-2011 01:46:33 | More by Photekut

HopStoopid120

Connecticut

5/5  rDev +15.7%

11-15-2011 23:04:44 | More by HopStoopid120

sideshowe

Pennsylvania

5/5  rDev +15.7%

11-14-2011 14:48:29 | More by sideshowe

seeswo

Ohio

4.33/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours cola brown with a very minimal trace of head. The nose is strong and has dark fruits, a hint of sweeter fruits, a strong maltiness and a bit of tannic and leather flavor. The taste is a really interesting, tame blend - those dark fruits and a bit of sweet fruit suggest almost Dr. Pepper blended into a stout (with chocolate flavors) and put in oak. Not as sweet as the description and comes together really nicely. This was split across several people and I wish I could have spent more time with more of the 12 oz bottle. Mouthfeel is bigger with medium-low carbonation. Very good beer that I would love to see replicated.

Serving type: bottle

11-08-2011 12:49:50 | More by seeswo

Urbancaver

Ohio

3.98/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Thanks Chris! Been. Wanting to try this ;)
Pours a reddish brown. A touch murky. Sme nice light brown head. Looks pretty. Smells malty and rich. Some nice light roast. Tastes rich and malty. A bit boozy and harsh. Sptastes really strong. Sme roast. Maybe light fruits as well. Really enjoyable. :)

Serving type: bottle

11-05-2011 17:41:52 | More by Urbancaver

koopa

New Jersey

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

Batch # 2 Bottle 317 of 450 (2009)

My second and last bottle of this delicious brew. First one was shared at a great tasting with beerloco, callmemickey, and a handful of other great BA's last year.

Appearance: Pours a nice deep mahogany boardering on black with a 2 finger mocha crown that displays medium retention and lace.

Smell: Lots going on here indeed. I'm picking up on chocolate, roast malt, molasses, a dark fruit medley, loads of brown sugar, and a hint of caramelization.

Taste: Same as the nose with the dark fruits and the brown sugar getting buried a bit by the oak presence.

Mouthfeel: Thick side of medium bodied with active carbonation.

Overall: Such a solid and enjoyable beer!

Serving type: bottle

08-28-2011 17:52:59 | More by koopa

mgbickel

Pennsylvania

4.38/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottle #226 - Reviewed from notes, tasted in May of 2011.

12oz bottle poured into a Cigar City snifter.

Dark body, purple/brown with a black center. The head is a tiny layer of khaki foam that vanished rather quickly and left no lace behind.

The nose is vinous...dark fruits...roasted malts. Potent smelling...

Wow...this tastes nothing like the nose...coffee, figs, dark chocolate all mix together in harmony! The backbone is woody, oak-like. The finish brings out a nice, warming alcohol burn.

Medium-heavy mouth feel...oily but drying at the finish...lots of carbonation.

Damn fine beer...think Trappist quad meets BA imperial stout.

Serving type: bottle

08-10-2011 20:39:58 | More by mgbickel

maximum12

Minnesota

4.33/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I actually have two bottles of this brew, sent to me by my hands-down two favorite traders: uber-trader moose3285 & the superman that is beerisheaven. 12 oz. bottle, 26/450, split into two small servings for my wife & myself.

Pours one notch shy of mid-summer pavement black when the sun has been beating on it all day. Nose is leathery, oaky, vanilla, with a dash of distinctive Cigar City (yeast, water, or something that makes CC beers unique).

Capricho Oscura Batch 2 has held up well; I wish I'd have had it fresh to have a baseline, but beggars/choosers/etc. Leathery vanilla is the dominant feature of this dark landscape, & beneath are all sorts of subtle speckles. Bourbon is present but faded into the 'cycle jacket, dour cherries, dry, dusty, slightly fruity & vinous. The bourbon comes back around holding hands with a charred hunk of oak to make the back-end smooth & slick. This beer is reminding me of James Dean, & I'm wishing I had another six or twelves ounces to keep plumbing it's depths. After almost two years, this beer shows good carbonation, no signs of oxidation; well crafted.

First sip I wasn't sure, but this one grew on me fast; lands between damn good & excellent. Well worth seeking out, one more positive Cigar City notch for me.

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2011 01:39:38 | More by maximum12

ThreeWiseMen

California

3.6/5  rDev -16.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Got this in a trade with fogdog (awhile back). Thanks Kevin!

Poured into a New Belgium globe.

Appearance: Looks gorgeous off the pour: a quarter inch of light brown foam atop a deep black body. That head slowly descends and settles as a thin cap, and shows excellent retention from there on out. Blanket-like lacing and apparently solid carbonation, as displayed by a frothy bulls-eye on top. Brown shines through the body's edges when the beer's held to light.

Smell: Chocolate creme, caramel, coconut, and salted peanuts. A mild, boozy burn picks up strength as the beer warms, but never becomes offensive. A bit prickly/peppery, too.

Taste: Dark chocolate, tobacco, leather, earth, burnt sugars, and a good deal of booze. Not as intense as the first time I tried it (>1 year ago), but still bold.

Mouthfeel: Full-bodied, robust, dry, bitter, and warm. About as bold as it gets. Carbonation is fine; moderate in strength.

Overall: Bold and fairly complex, but the aroma and taste just don't do it for me. Interesting though.

Serving type: bottle

04-15-2011 05:56:30 | More by ThreeWiseMen

msubulldog25

Oregon

4.33/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle, sent summer 2009 by Dstructo. White label on the neck: Batch #2 --- 2009 --- 339/450. Poured to a small La Chouffe tulip, right to the 250ml line.

It's chilly outside, it's Friday, and I just cleaned house for a few hours. This bottle has waited patiently in the fridge for many months; tonight, why not?

A: Dark charcoal/ebony, though not quite 'black'. Held to a strong light, there's a little tawny auburn tint and a dusting of fallout, but also loads of streaming carbonation. Decent head, a sandy beige that can't quite reach a finger high but holds as a skim with thickened edges. Sheeting lace in wide rings, drips like icicles.

S: Wafting aroma that's sweet and spicy, bourbon/barrel notes aplenty without being overbearing. Cocoa and brown sugar sweetness, candied raisins.

T: A strange and wonderful blend of sweet and slightly peaty/smoky scotch, cocoa and carob, dessert-like (dutch apple pie?).Vanilla and some char (thanks, Makers Mark!) and so much ground spice. The subtlest tartness in the finish, a pleasant citric tang.

M: Smooth and tightly-carbonated feel, not so heavy... let's call it a 'medium' body. A little chewier as the sipping continues, some malt stickiness , too.

D: Even two years ar so after bottling, still surprisingly 'hot' - about as boozy as an aged Goose Island Bourbon County although not nearly as sweet. No idea of the ABV here, but it certainly 'feels' STRONG (11-14%?), as such it's nothing beyond a sipper. Flavors are so good, though, that it's highly recommend for lovers of strong beers. Would love to have another, but as there were only 450 bottles produced two years ago, I'll bet there aren't many left.

Thanks, Ryan, for the chance to try.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2011 01:59:26 | More by msubulldog25

CampusCrew

Florida

4.15/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A blend of Big Sound Scotch Ale, 110k+OT Batch 2 (IRIS), and Bolita Brown. Aged in Makers Mark Barrel.

The appearance of this beer an phenominal. Very creamy head with lots of sticky brown lacing. Head rentention was low but it looks fantastic.The aromas of this beer from the start are great. Whiskey is definitly prevalent from the begining as well as vanilla and chocolate. The taste may be a little off. A tad sourness on the backend but nothing to mess the beer up. Great Chocolate, coffee, and bourbon flavors. A very easy drinking stout like blend

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2011 22:08:21 | More by CampusCrew

JAXSON

Pennsylvania

4.15/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

2009 rate, fairly fresh bottle.

Bottle from Hopscotch. First beer I've had from this much talked about brewery. Pours a deep espresso with a nice soapy burnt sugar head. Nose is heavy on roasted espresso. Quite a bitter and roasty aroma, though inviting and nice. There's a rich, vinous element in there that reminds me of the best bottles of Worldwide Stout. Really thick and rich in the mouth. Large roasted coffee bean presence. Coffee cream. Not as burdensome as most imperial stouts, though similar in its bitter chocolate espresso heft. Bourbon is well-integrated and not as annoying as I thought it might be. This is really nice and this brewery definitely seems to do this style well. Not mind-blowing but very nice indeed. Drank from a small brandy snifter. Thanks dude!

Serving type: bottle

11-16-2010 03:20:52 | More by JAXSON

kbutler1

Minnesota

4.05/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Bottle. Courtesy of mothman. Pours a dark brown color with a nice frothy tan head that settles nicely. Holy bourbon/whiskey notes in the nose, pretty boozy smelling. The whiskey notes dance around throughout the entire drink of this beer along with dark roast, sherry, and hints of oak. Medium mouthfeel. Ends with a lingering boozy slightly sweet taste. As it warms the roast really comes through nicely. Pretty enoyable.

Serving type: bottle

11-12-2010 02:17:45 | More by kbutler1

mothman

Saskatchewan (Canada)

4.15/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Batch 2 409/450

Poured into CCB snifter

Pours 1/2 finger of tan head. Decent retention with some splattered lace. Color is a dark brown, near black.

Aroma: Whiskey all the way. Big malt profile. Toffee, caramel, chocolate, roast malts, vanilla, and some dark dried fruits. Pretty nice. Big warming whiskey flavor rocks.

Taste: Again, big whiskey flavor to start things out. Very oaky with vanilla, caramel, chocolate, roast malts, and dark dried fruits. Plums, molasses, and raisins.

Mouthfeel: Warming, smooth, and creamy. Medium to full bodied with a medium amount of carbonation. Ends dry with notes of whiskey.

Overall, a really nice whiskey bal aged beer. Very warming in a good way. It is fairly drinkbale as well. I am enjoying this one.

Serving type: bottle

11-12-2010 02:16:34 | More by mothman

mdfb79

New York

3.8/5  rDev -12%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

From 08/26/10 notes. Had at a local DC tasting. Bottle 2/450.

a - Pours a dark brown color with an inch of tan head and light carbonation evident.

s - Smells a little bit funky, and has a lot of spice to it. Also some whiskey, oak, and fruity malts.

t - Tastes of spices, whiskey, oak, and fruit.

m - Medium body and low to moderate carbonation.

d - A decent beer but I personally preferred Batch 3. Either way I would try again sometime.

Serving type: bottle

09-16-2010 21:56:51 | More by mdfb79

BEERchitect

Kentucky

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

This is a 'kitchen sink' of beers. Every flavor imaginable is represented and in seamless fashion.

The beer pours a weighted and dark brown color and viscocity. Low levels of carbonation release a low-lying but dense head that forms a sheet across the beer and holds serve. Moderate lacing left behind. Basically opaque.

Complex aromas of licorice and red grapes give an estery start while toast and chocolate follow closely behind. Throw in the dates, cherries, figs, plumbs, prunes, and raisons and we have a lot of fruity variants. Light tones of sherry and soy give a mature and well-cellared impression to the scent.

Flavors of the sweet sorghum-like malts provide the perfect spring board for all of those esters and grain-diriven fruits. Toffee and slightly scorched sugars give a deep complextion to the aged melanoidin character of the beer. Rum-soakes stone fruits continue the estery on-slaught with emphasis on the grapes and plumbs. Blackberries also make an impact in the finish along with the sherry vinous character.

A weighted and full feel begins the beer because of richness of the beer and the low carbonation. Regardless, the beer fades quickly into a drying maltiness that eventually foregoes the toasty, powdery textures for a fleeting sweetness.

Absolutely delicious, Capricho Oscuto has a few of the intangibles that make Rochefort 10 so great, including the melanoidin and complex fruity notes.

Thanks RomaniIt!

Serving type: bottle

05-28-2010 07:23:54 | More by BEERchitect

rye726

Colorado

4.2/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Blend of Big Sound, Bolita and 100K+OT #2 aged in a Members Mark whiskey barrel.

Pours a dark, muddy mahogany with a silky tan head. Excellent lace and retention.

Nose has whiskey, oak, vanilla, roasty malts, molasses, caramel and ripe pitted fruits.

Taste has candy malts, cocoa, espresso, bourbon, vanilla and wood.

Rich, velvety is delicately carbonated. Just a bit thin through the finish. Very nice beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-27-2010 02:24:53 | More by rye726