Imperial Sweet Stout - Cognac Barrel Aged - Cigar City Brewing

Lare453

Florida

4.98/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

750ml into a dfh signature glass

a extremely dark. black. cocoa brown head that dissipates at a medium pace. beautiful lacing. looks fantastic

s heavy cognac, bitter sweet chocolate, coffee, caramel, sweet dark fruits, vanilla,

t WOW!!! this is one of the greatest stouts ive ever had. it is super rich. heavy chocolate and sweet vanilla at the start, themiddle is sweet cognac and coffee middle. the ending is unbelievable, dark fruit, sweet chocolate, caramel, toffee. the aftertaste is cognac, oak and sweet chocolate.

m thick, rich, smooth, great carbonation.

o wow. this is delicious, complex, and one of the best things ive ever had. im very impressed with this beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-09-2012 01:05:11 | More by Lare453

Nicolay3535

Florida

4.98/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A- Pours very dark with medium to light head, its pretty

S- WOW we are talking quality cognac here, chocolate truffles, marscapone cheese, slight coffee notes and sweet malt, one of the best noses in the business.

T- Just like the nose it delivers all that cognac lacto, flavor with a sweet overtone, but not too sweet, perfect brew to enjoy with a good cigar. Probably one of the greatest stouts I've had yet.

M- Cigar City has this down, body for days, it oozes quality.

O- Such an amazing stout, and like stated above one of the best out there. I just hope it becomes a regular in their catalogue.

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2012 15:28:56 | More by Nicolay3535

Rochefort10nh

New Hampshire

4.95/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

WOW!!

This is my favorite Cigar City beer yet!

Deep obsidian on a vigorous pour. Off tan head.

Malted milk balls, cognac, chocolate, stewed prunes, creme brulee, molasses and plum. Fantastic!

Taste carries over from the smell and a nice roasted quality comes to the fore on the aftertaste.

Gorgeous mouthfeel. Thick and rich.

Great beer!

Serving type: bottle

11-11-2012 20:09:03 | More by Rochefort10nh

cavedave

New York

4.95/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Big thanks to Crusian for putting this amazing beer into my BIF box. Tasted 12/5. From notes.

Pours a thick and opaque black, topped briefly by light brown cap which leaves the scene for some persistent islands of skim. A swirl provokes syrupy legs to slither down the glass sides.

What an aroma. This beer's best feature, almost unbelievably delicious. Neither Paul nor I could move on to sipping without spending nearly five minutes inhaling. Caramel sweet, cognac, dark chocolate, light roastiness, vanilla, cakey breadiness, hints of herbal and alcohol spice, even floral touches in there. Can't imagine a smell more enchanting than this.

What a flavor, neither of us were ready for how good this is. Lotsa sweet alcohol spice and clean caramel then it swirls into a bitter and milder combo of chocolate flavors, hints of coffee and vanilla, some roastiness that never gets acrid, and underflavors beyond my power to describe. It is delightful, a truly spectacular taste that merely identifying flavor components does not do justice. Cognac flavors tie it together into perfection. It leaves us both wondering if we ever have tasted a stout as fine.

Mouthfeel is the frame in which this masterpiece is brought to its best. Super viscous, low carb. and a clean finish that leaves streaks of resiny goodness on mouth and tongue, but never seems to build up nor become cloying. Just a marvel of artistry here. So, so good

Don't know what more to say for my impression than this is without doubt the finest beer I have tasted this year, and undoubtedly the finest of this style I ever will taste. Highest recommendation.

Serving type: bottle

12-06-2012 11:50:51 | More by cavedave

Bitterbill

Wyoming

4.88/5  rDev +10.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Big ole 750ml bottle courtesy of robinsmv. Thanks, Matt!

Black black black pour, darkest of tan head of foam that I may have ever seen. Tilting my tulip glass, I see a ton of lacing.

Roasted malt, dark and milk chocolate, malty sweetness in the smell. Slight hints of cognac, one of my favourite liquors. I think I'm down for this.

Good grief Charlie Brown, the first sip is simply amazing? I'd gladly let Lucy pull the football away at the last second and fall on me arse if I can get up and have another sip of this splendid brew!

Sweet malt, big milk chocolate sweetness, light dark chocolate bitterness meshed in with roasted malt, delicious cognac flavours throughout but not dominating/detracting from the "elegance" of what makes this Milk Stout a true Milk Stout. Oh, did I not mention the lactose I'm getting in the taste? My bad.

So delicious sip after sip. The 11% abv is hidden too damn well; gotta watch it, Bill, lest the "evil" alcohol droppeth upon your door step and kicketh you into the next century.

Full bodied, light but right amount of carbonation, the mouthfeel is smooth as silk.

Bottom line: There's a song out there in music land by MC Hammer that says it best....You Can't Touch This. I think this is the beer of 2012 for me!

Serving type: bottle

11-18-2012 16:21:05 | More by Bitterbill

randyherring

Florida

4.78/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Excellent Cognac flavors, velvety smooth. The bouquet is strong, you can definitely smell the alcohol content. Excellent taste for anybody who loves a good stout without the chocolate overtones.

I picked up a bottle at the CCB tasting room in Tampa. I am very happy with this beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2012 01:11:50 | More by randyherring

standardcherry

Massachusetts

4.66/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

750 ml bottle.

A: Pours completely black with about 1 inch of mocha-colored head. It receded immediately though. Looks very thick as I poured it.
S: Lots of fruity sweetness, chocolate and dark malts. It has almost a slight "wine" scent.
T: Dark chocolate bitterness balances with fruity sweetness. Oak, chocolate, vanilla. A warm boozy in the finish. Very well balanced though, booze is well hidden.
M: Extremely thick and viscous. Full bodied with low carbonation. Very smooth.
O: Excellent beer, can't wait for CCB to make more.

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2013 04:44:11 | More by standardcherry

ndepriest

Georgia

4.63/5  rDev +5%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a bottle into a snifter.

The beer looks a bit flat. Very little head. It almost comes out like syrup. The smell is incredible. Chocolate, vanilla, roasted marshmallows, and sweet cognac. The taste is similar, but the cognac is a bit more in the background. Just huge roasted flavors. The mouthfeel is very smooth, but thick and syrupy.

Wonderful beer that it would be great to see them brew again. If you have a bottle, this is definitely one to share.

Serving type: bottle

10-23-2012 01:24:42 | More by ndepriest

djmichaelk

Florida

4.58/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Chilled 750ml bottle into a snifter. We let it warm slightly before opening.

A - Pours an absolute black, with a rocky three fingers of mocha-colored head. Great retention and decent lacing, clinging to the edges of the glass like a Halloween spiderweb.

S - Huge dark chocolate cake notes, vanilla, some earthiness and a slight hoppiness, and maybe a bit of fennel in the background. The barrel is definitely there in a big way, but it doesn't seem boozy. It smells awesome.

T - The flavor is more of the nose. It's a bit like one of those liquor-filled dark chocolate candies, melted in your glass. The chocolate is rich without being overpowering, there's some bitterness from the hops lurking in there somewhere, and the barrel rounds everything out. The cognac works wonderfully with the fudgy sweetness of the beer, without really much in the way of heat.

M - CCB always nails the mouthfeel on their beers, and this one is another great example. Exceptionally full with medium carbonation that fits the bill perfectly. Slightly drying in the finish.

O - After BA Church and Leon, I was almost thinking that this couldn't quite live up to the standard that those two set, but it really does. I'm trying really hard not to overrate this beer, but it's difficult to find faults with it. The barrel treatment is different, but the overall impression is similar to some of the Eclipse variations out there, rich and fudgy. Great dessert beer to finish off the night. Me? I'm off to find a few more bottles.

Serving type: bottle

10-24-2012 19:31:27 | More by djmichaelk

dbc5

Ohio

4.58/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

750 ml poured into a Southern Tier Pumpking chalice.

A: This beer pours viscous as hell. Moderately aggressive pour yields about a 1 finger, coffee colored head. Held to the light, absolutely nothing shines through.

S: This is a spectacular smelling brew. Can tell this is going to be sweet off the nose. Chocolate syrup, brown sugar, molasses, cinnamon sugar, raisins, vanilla, and coffee.

T: While I think the nose is the standout on this beer, the flavor does not disappoint. Starts with dark chocolate/chocolate syrup, then brown sugar and vanilla. Get a hit of fruit sweetness at the end (raisins, plums, grapes). The chocolate syrup flavor lingers along with alight booziness (the booze is not particularly pronounced but present enough to be noticed).

M: Mouthfeel is excellent on this one. Thick and coating. Carbonation is moderate to low.

O: Probably the best sweet stout I've had the pleasure of enjoying. Highly recommend this to anyone who is a stout fan with a sweet tooth. This is my first experience with Cigar City and it lived up to the hype. Thanks go out to BREWSnTATTOOS for giving me the opportunity to enjoy this treat.

Serving type: bottle

12-13-2012 01:23:58 | More by dbc5

Retail1LO

Pennsylvania

4.53/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Notes from 750mL shared at Tired Hands All Hallows Dinner on 11/6

Pours a dark, ominous black shade with about a finger's width head up top. Smell is rich...flush with dark fruit, a tint of vanilla, and plenty of the cognac barrel. The taste follows the nose closely. True to the name, it is surely sweet, but not even remotely in a cloying manner. The mouthfeel is world class. This is every bit the heavy, velvety, thick, lush mouthfeel that I yearn for in a beer like this. Overall, this was amazing. While they're not the same style, I liked this even more than Leon.

Serving type: bottle

11-09-2012 15:09:44 | More by Retail1LO

davey101

Connecticut

4.53/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottled 09/19/2012. 750 ml bottle into a DFH signature glass. Served around cellar temperature. Thanks Matt!

A - Pours a dark black body. Insanely dark mocha creamy head thats bordering on red. A swirl creates a thin layer of yellow/brown film that stains the glass ala Marshal Zhukov. Thick lacing forms but it seems so dense that it falls down the sides quickly. Beautiful looking beer.

S - Roasted malts, grapes, cherries, leather, and milk chocolate. Very well integrated. Has a warming alcohol impression on the end.

T - Starts off with bitter roasted malts followed by sweet and acrid grape liquer. Finally smooth milk chocolate, oak, and vanilla. Fudgy and chewy with dark fruits, cognac, and oak barrels all playing a role. Very warming and smooth on the end. The aftertaste is a bit awkward with some lingering acidity.

M - Creamy with great carbonation. Somewhat sticky and syrupy but the beer does finish cleanly albeit slowly.

O - A unique beer. Can't say that the lactose is present, but this is an extremely well made. Not as good as Leon IMO, but Cigar City is doing some pretty impressive barrel releases lately.

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2012 02:19:31 | More by davey101

TheSevenDuffs

Ontario (Canada)

4.51/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to David for this bottle! Dated 19 SEP 12.
Poured in to cigar city snifter.

A - Poured ink black with a thin layer of dark brown head that immediately reduced to a ring around the edges of the glass.

S - Sweet cognac, charred oak, chocolate covered cherries, roast and a hint of smoke. Very complex.

T - A big cognac presence at first that immediately gives way to charred oak, roast and an amazing chocolate covered cherry flavour. Sweet molasses ans sugary notes throughout. Very sweet overall, as expected. But not too sweet...

M - Medium body; light to moderate carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2013 01:42:44 | More by TheSevenDuffs

codysjb

Florida

4.5/5  rDev +2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Cigar City Imperial Sweet Stout ale aged in Cognac barrels
Drove 9 hours to buy 6 bottles. Poured into my Duvel Tulip.
A: Poured a decent head but dissipated quick. Black as night, motor oil black.
S: Caramel, Cognac, whisky. Wow.
T: Chocolate coats the mouth and some minor cognac notes round out. Overall very sweet but wow pretty amazing.
M: Sweet chocolate and caramel becomes a nice cognac taste with whisky notes and more caramel notes.
O: Wow!!! Ya this was worth the drive. It can stand up to most stouts and while it isn’t BCBCS, its pretty damn close.

Serving type: bottle

10-10-2012 03:19:56 | More by codysjb

tobelerone

New Jersey

4.5/5  rDev +2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Jet black bodied beer with a big tan head that settles slowly; sticky lacing remains on the glass. Aroma has massive cognac and the boozy heat that comes with it; underlying sweet and bitter chocolate, molasses, anise notes. Complex and decadent.

This is one cognac-bomb to be sure. While there is ample sweetness, both milk and semisweet chocolate flavors, rich fudginess, and lesser notes of the aforementioned molasses, anise, and roasted malt, the chest-warming cognac flavor is very prominent. Oak, vanilla, and raisins just poke out here and there.

Medium-full bodied, moderate carbonation, smooth, sticky, creamy, and appropriately chewy feel. Nice beer! This is the one for the cognac lover, if they can find it. Cigar City does a lot of interesting stuff but for my money it's their stouts that really shine the brightest.

Serving type: bottle

10-29-2012 15:39:06 | More by tobelerone

starrdogg

District of Columbia

4.5/5  rDev +2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Beer pours an inky jet black with a thin tan head. Smell is awesomely chocolatey, a bit like boozy chocolate cake. I was worried it might be too sweet after the smell, but the flavor here is well balanced, awesome and not too intense. It's all chocolate and oak and amazing. Mouthfeel is full bodied and thick, but still has nice carbonation. This is a great beer and one of my favorites from CCB, these guys are crushing it lately.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2012 03:55:53 | More by starrdogg

ColForbinBC

New Jersey

4.5/5  rDev +2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On-tap, served in a tulip

An ink black pour with some thick legs. The small dark tan cap faded to a thin collar pretty quickly. Little to no lacing left inside the glass.

The cognac notes are pretty well incorporated. You would think a cognac barrel would completely overwhelm the base beer, but that is not the case. Lactic sugar, mild roast, and some cocoa powder lay a nice base for the sweet cognac notes to take over.

Mild roast, chocolate and lactic sugar poke through up front before a sweep of cognac and oak takes you through the finish. A little bit of vanilla pokes through with some burnt sugar. The base beer holds its own and is nicely complemented by the flavor of the cognac. A real winner.

Smooth, lush, and just plan delicious. Coats the mouth and slides off with no troubles. A touch of lingering sweet cognac booziness and some mild chocolate notes.

They pretty much nailed this one. The cognac is strong, as you would expect, but it complements the sweetness of the base beer extremely well.

Serving type: on-tap

02-28-2013 14:03:23 | More by ColForbinBC

AltBock

Ohio

4.48/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Imperial Sweet Stout

On tap at the Cigar City Tasting Room on 8 Oct 2012. It was the release date for this beer. They served it to me in a snifter.

It's yet another pitch black beer. The mighty sun couldn't shine through this beer. On top was a small 1/4 of an inch dark mocha head of foam. This head of foam quickly dissipated into a tiny string of rings along the side of the beer and a few streaks of lace.

The aroma was sweet, but not rot your teeth sugar sweet. Up front was brown sugar and molasses. Directly behind the sweetness was the dark fruits like raisins, plums, and cherry. Rounding out the aroma was roasted malt, a pinch of coffee, a drop of vanilla, a little oak, and a splash of Cognac. I liked how the aroma controlled the oak and Cognac. It didn't let them get out of control.

The taste was thick and roasted, but not sweet like the aroma. Up front was the roasted elements, the roasted malt and roasted coffee beans. Behind the roasted tastes was a brief taste of sweetness. I got some brown sugar, a dash of vanilla, a drop of molasses, and a few dark fruits like raisins, cherries, and plums. This beer then finishes up with a nice medium not overpowered taste of oak and cognac. When the taste warmed up, the cognac and oak became more pronounced. Even though it became stronger, it never became a cognac aged in a sweet imperial stout barrel.

The mouthfeel was full bodied with a nice aftertaste of oak, malt, coffee, roasted  hops, dark fruits, and cognac. I could taste the cognac, but it was a controlled taste. Not overpowered!

I don't care that much for sweet stouts, but this one was different. The barrel aging was a very nice touch. I would love to drink this beer again.

Serving type: on-tap

10-24-2012 18:17:34 | More by AltBock

stakem

Pennsylvania

4.45/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A huge amount of gratitude is owed to BA sendsilk for hooking me up with a seemingly endless supply of amazing CCB brews. Poured from a 750ml into a matching Cigar City snifter. The brew appears a solid black color with a dark brown finger of froth across the top. The cap fades leaving some spots of lace sticking to the glass and the head holds around the perimeter of the glass. A light swirl revives a seriously dark brown cap back to the surface that fades leaving a thin film across the top. When held to the light and swirled, hardly any light shines through but what does reveals some dark brown hints around the edges.

The aroma is heavily roasted and almost char and tobacco-like. There is an immediately noticeable amount of fruity cognac quality that comes into play accenting the boozy quality of this. The dark roasted aspects of the aromatics brings out thoughts of coffee and bitter baker's chocolate with almost a hint of earthy leather. As I smell this brew more, a bit of vanilla quality and raw oak emerges. This is a deeply complex and enjoyable smelling brew.

The flavor of this brew is very roasted with a bitterness that is reminiscent of 100% cacao. There are some softer almost milk chocolate notes present that then blend into a fruity booze flavor of cognac. Some roasty earth, leather, tobacco and oak are also there mid palate. This is a very atypical sweet stout in that it is very deceiving in the way the flavors meld together and go between bitter roast, semi-sweet and boozy. The sweet side of this brew really isnt upfront at all, it is actually more bitter upfront and blends into a mild sweetness across the back and into the finsh.

This is a medium to fuller bodied brew with a moderate amount of carbonation. This is a beast of a sweet stout. If you go into this experience expecting a sticky sweet stout, you might be let down as it is quite boozy and bitter. This brew is very reminiscent of the trademark stouts that Cigar City is known for. At times I seemingly forget myself and get reminded of Zhukov with its dark roasty leathery and almost ashy qualities. But the booze reminds me of something more like Hunahpu but without the spices. Dare I say CCB has hit one hell of a homerun with this brew.

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2012 00:08:49 | More by stakem

Jeffo

Netherlands

4.45/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5

Bottle from urwithdave. I just can't get enough. Cheers!

From a 750ml into a snifter
Bottled 19 September 2012
Stout on cognac barrels

APPEARANCE: Thick black pour yields a one finger, medium looking, creamy, dark mocha head with very good retention. Very dark and mocha colored head. Looks nice. Thick black body with higher levels of carbonation. Head slowly fades to a splotchy wisp and ring. Touches of wisp and a ring remain leaving no real lacing down the glass. Nice head with a thick, black, Cigar City black body. Nice.

SMELL: Big cognac nose with lots of roasted and chocolaty base stout. Roasted malts, dark, pure chocolate, baker's chocolate, with cognac, vanilla, milk chocolate and toffee. Chocolate covered cherries as well. Really decadent with piles of roasty, chocolaty base stout under a well-integrated cognac barrel. Increadibly complex and lovely. Bold and outstanding.

TASTE: Cognac, lots of roasted and burnt malts with dark, pure baker's chocolate at the swallow. Huge, flavorful aftertaste of charred malts, dark bitter chocolate, coffee, cognac and some sweet vanilla, toffee and milk chocolate. A touch of booze, but well measured. Sweet and bitter, roasted finish lingers with some chocolate covered cherries and vanilla cognac. This is lovely and follows the nose perfectly. The touch high carbonation keeps this from possible perfection.

PALATE: Medium body with higher levels of carbonation. A little light and airy, goes down smooth enough and finishes slightly sticky on the palate. A little burn lingers. Definitely needs to be thicker, fuller and heavier with less carbonation. Too bad, but this is otherwise fantastic. Average at best.

OVERALL: Phenomenal stuff! Everything works so well except the the slightly thin and airy feel on this one. If the feel was fuller and creamier, this would be the best cognac barrel aged beer in the world, and perhaps the best barrel aged stout in the world. Cigar City never ceases to impress the crap out of me. Love this beer. Thanks a lot urwithdave. I could drink these guys and not miss a thing.

Serving type: bottle

04-26-2013 19:19:22 | More by Jeffo

bonkers

New Jersey

4.44/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I was lucky enough to recieve this in a stout bif, thanks beernads!! I split it into 2 snifters, viscous, jet black pour, thin tan head. Boozey aroma, notes of vanilla. Well balanced brew, sweet, nice cognac notes, vanilla is in there too. Finishes boozey. The beer is thick, light carbonation, sipper. A great beer that I never thought I would be able to try.

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2013 00:07:22 | More by bonkers

Duff27

Illinois

4.43/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Deep deep mocha colored head on a near black body.

Borderline overload with the cocoa/alcohol one-two punch.

Barrel aging is there bu isnt over done at all, near perect level. I'm getting a chalky/"ashy" smokiness on the tail end, love it.

Very smooth, could be its greatest attribute. Low carbonation, thick mouthfeel.

Great beer. Cognac near flawlessly integrated. I keep forgetting this is a milk stout because I'm not noticing the lactose, only minor complaint. Seek and share with me. Thanks egrace84.

Serving type: bottle

11-04-2012 01:45:06 | More by Duff27

axeman9182

New Jersey

4.43/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

750 mL bottle courtesy of djmichaelk. It was left out to warm just a little, and poured into my Brooklyn Brewery tulip.

Cognac Barrel Imperial Sweet Stout pours an intimidating black, with noticeably dark, chocolate colored foam crowning the beer. It's about a finger and a half in height, with just a little bit each of head retention and lacing. The nose is great, with lots of aromas coming together and spilling out of the glass. Vanilla, oak, cognac, and dark chocolate all coalesce and greet my nose. The barrel characteristics are what find my palate first, with brown sugar, oak, and lightly boozy cognac all standing out. That alcoholic note is a touch too potent, but it's what balances against the sweetness, before the base beer comes in for the finish. Cocoa powder is joined by anise and molasses, the latter two just a hair too prominent for my taste. The mouthfeel is superb, highlighted by a full body that's just slightly chewy, and a wonderfully subtle carbonation. I've had a few Cigar City beers that I've enjoyed, but this is the first one that's jumped out since Hunahpu's did a while back. Now I'm really looking forward to the bottle of Leon that's in my fridge.

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2012 06:50:53 | More by axeman9182

cosmicevan

New York

4.43/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Notes from a tasting on 12/6. Big thanks to sendsilk for hooking this one up!

Enjoyed from a ccb humidor series tulip.

watery black with a thin dark brown head and great barrel shine. the brew really coats the glass when swirled. sparse lacing. smells chocolate cognac with good roasted chocolate. the cognac is strong on the flavor profile. great dark chocolate notes as well. rich and decadent. smooth. not boozy, but cognac is present. overall really nice, not as great as imperial milk porter on stranahan (but a different animal entirely)...sweet chocolate cognac!

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2012 01:50:17 | More by cosmicevan

mrandypandy

Georgia

4.43/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

750ml bottle picked up for me by a friend from Tampa. Split with by buddy, pullen.

A - Pours a thick, viscous, motor-oil like abyss black. Little or no head, but that's to be expected from an 11% barrel-aged stout.
S - Sweet malt and dark fruits. Smells good.
T - Wow. Chocolate-covered cherries, with a malted-milkshake sweetness. Like Dark Lord, but actually good. A definite roasted quality to the finish. Mutually agreed that this is damn tasty.
M - Best part of this brew. Thick, yet smooth. Luxurious and velvety. Everything you want out of a sweet stout.
O - While I didn't get much or any cognac from this, it's still a phenomenal stout. A bit on the sweet side, but hey, it's a milk/sweet stout. I couldn't finish an entire bottle, but my 375ml serving was perfect. Highly recommended to relax and sip on, especially as an aperitif.

Serving type: bottle

12-13-2012 03:32:14 | More by mrandypandy