Bourbon Barrel Aged Dark Lord Imperial Stout - Three Floyds Brewing Co. & Brewpub

Huhzubendah

District of Columbia

4.97/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Thanks to Brad for sharing this at his tasting on Saturday!

2010 vintage, served side by side with Dark Lord and Vanilla Bean Dark Lord.

Oak Aged Dark Lord pours a near jet black, with hints of brown visible at the upper edges of the glass when held to the light. Head and lacing are somewhat subdued, but given the serving medium, I couldn't ask for more. A great big aroma of rich roasted malt and oak barrels. Wow. Dark Lord is one of my favorite beers, and I find the addition of oak barrels to be quite wonderful. There is a prominent licorice note in the taste. Someone described the feel as "oil slick in the gulf" and I have to agree. Thick and chewy, this beer leaves a coating of stout residue in your mouth that utterly blankets the palate. This is remarkably smooth, given the high alcohol (it is higher this year than previous vintages), and gives a nice, warm burn as it slides down. I really hope I can go to DLD next year and get some of this fresh from the tap.

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On tap at DLD 2011.

Simply delicious. Similar in some regards to Goose Island Bourbon County Rare. The beer is full of flavor and wonderfully smooth. Alcohol content hidden beautifully. Lingering aftertaste of delicious bourbon. Warming sensation as it goes down. World class.

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2010 17:05:40 | More by Huhzubendah

DefenCorps

Oregon

4.63/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Handbottle shared graciously by Chris. It was MUCH better than I remember it being when I tried it at DLD 08

Jet black, no head with dark brown highlights. Not as sludgy as the regular Dark Lord. A solid looking beer.
Holy fucking fuck, what a nose! Chocolate chip cookies with bourbon come right to mind. Just massive, intensely good. A ton of vanilla with a relatively low booze character, with bourbon noticeable. Not hot in the least, the vanilla character is actually quite tastefully done. Mildly raisiny with cocoa powder and chocolate fudge. Just over the top.
The palate isn't as exceptional, but opens with all the fantastic chocolate complexity with cocoa, dark chocolate and fudge. Plenty sweet with caramel, burnt sugar and an incredible accent of bourbon. The oak aging is most noticeable in the vanilla character of this beer, along with a mildly boozy character. Coffee isn't noticeable, though there's enough molasses and licorice to make an effort at countering the chocolate character. Mild dark fruit character is present with raisins soaked in sugar syrup. An incredibly long finish with a bit of booze, a lot of vanilla, mild roast and some chocolate. Thick and HUGE, this big beer has low carbonation and has a perfect body. My belief is reaffirmed, and I'm almost tempted to go to DLD next year and session this and the VB DL. Awesome stuff.

Serving type: growler

11-10-2009 23:57:59 | More by DefenCorps

largadeer

Kentucky

4.75/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

Got this one from stfun37. Brought this down to San Diego last week and shared it with HopHead84 and dyan. I think this exceeded all of our expectations.

Sludgy opaque black, no head forms from the pour - this is pretty much still. Plenty thick, but not as viscous as the regular Dark Lord, which can only be a good thing.

Huge aroma of chocolate, fudge, chocolate cake, chocolate syrup, vanilla and caramel. Inhaling anywhere near the vicinity of a glass of this is like walking into a chocolatier. Unbelievably sweet and decadent. Oak and bourbon are noticeable, but the chocolate/caramel/vanilla trifecta is dominant.

The taste is brimming with rich chocolate and vanilla, molasses, licorice and oaky tannins. Bourbon is there too, well-integrated and balanced with the base beer. The body is thick and viscous, carbonation non-existent. The finish is mildly tannic, roasty and semi-dry, coffee lingering on the palate.

It's amazing what a little -bal aging will do to a beer. While I'm not at all a fan of the regular Dark Lord, this iteration of it is incredible.

Serving type: growler

11-10-2009 22:58:46 | More by largadeer

tpd975

Florida

5/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Hand bottle provided by gunhaver.

A: Pours as dark as night, flat pitch black with only a bubble or two for a head. The beer is thick, dense, it literally coats the glass.

S: Huge vanilla aromas, from the wood I guess. Nothing artifical about the vanilla though, it is like creamy buttery vanilla. The wood component is huge as well. Like fresh cut oak. Strong roasty notes are there along with hints of molasses and chocolate.

T: Holy Hell! There is nothing like this beer. It is the king of barrel aged beers in my mind without a doubt. Fudge like chocolate up front along with a big blast of roast. The oak component is huge and so enjoyable. Vanilla manages to push through with hints of bourbon. A slight milky coco puffs flavor can be picked up as well. Simple flavors that seem to just meld together perfectly. Really is a perfect beer.

M: Full bodied, lacks carbonation from the hand bottling, but it really don't suffer. I like lower levels of carbonation on RIS' anyway.

D: Wonderful, would love to drink all night until I pass out. Reason enough to make a trip to Dark Lord Day.

Serving type: bottle

09-04-2009 13:09:45 | More by tpd975

craytonic

District of Columbia

3.18/5  rDev -30.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3

Appearance: Looks like DL, pitch black, oil slick, etc, etc

Smell: Only a hint of oak on the scent. Lots of roast malt and molasses.

Taste: Did they add sugar to this one as well? If so, why? Roast malt, molasses, brown sugar, milk chocolate, semi-sweet baking chocolate. The oak is huge on the taste, like a fresh oak barrel. Too much barrel actually. Much hasher than the regular DL or VB DL.

Mouthfeel: Great - thick, chewy, smooth, near perfect.

Drinkability: To much fresh, wet oak and I get some added sugar. Regular DL is better, but honestly none of the three is T-50 worthy in my opinion.

Serving type: growler

08-14-2009 02:28:37 | More by craytonic

Overlord

California

4.5/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to a prior trader for hooking me up. Shenanigans ensued with the procurement/bottling of this beer, I'm sure.

Pours a dark black, some deep tan bubbling froth, and a bit of a foamy crust.

Smells like ... Dark Lord. I feel like cutting and pasting my review. Hmmm ... Chocolate, dark fruits, a roasted malt backing. So far, not much oak.

Well, the oak makes its appearance in the flavor, in a big ... kind of distracting way. Vanilla, bourbon-y oak, and the familiar chocolate, roasted malt, and velvety dark fruit of the base Dark Lord. They laid a heavy -bal aging on this beer. And yes, there's more than a bit of sherry to it. Thick, viscous, and creamy. Noticeable bourbon component.

Much better on my second sampling.

Serving type: growler

08-13-2009 09:38:31 | More by Overlord

brdc

Wisconsin

4.5/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Had this on tap at DLD 09.

Pitch black, motor oil, no highlights, and a thin but fluffy dark tan head that holds for a little bit and leaves some lacing that coats the side of the glass.
Aroma is quite impressive, dark fruits abounding, molasses, coffee but not too much coffee, chocolate, bread and alcohol. Oakiness and vanilla, perhaps some extra heat as compared to the regular version.
It is a very thick, oily beer as expected, complex, with coffee, bittersweet chocolate, sweet caramel, molasses, fruits, vanilla but some noticeable heat, brandy like, which does not blend perfectly.
This is an incredible beer, but IMHO, one step down from regular DL. The oak aging did not match perfectly. Still a fantastic beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2009 02:34:39 | More by brdc

Blursimarsi

Sweden

4.5/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

(Bottle, thanks to SQNfan) If Blursimarsi cannot come to Dark Lord Day, then Dark Lord Day has to come to Blursimarsi. Pours compact dark brown to black. The aroma is fat with oak/bourbon up front bringing tones of vanilla, coconut, light smoke and alcohol. In addition, lots of malt roasts with dark chocolate and chocolate ice cream as the most notable but there is also some room for coffee/espresso. Sweet sugary and dark fruity with tones of molasses, maple syrup, rum raisins and prunes. Hints of raspberries, nuts and celery. The flavour is medium to heavily sweet, light to medium bitter and medium to heavily roasted/burned. Bourbon, vanilla, coconut, dark chocolate, rum raisins, burned caramel, some coffee, mint-ish alcohol warmth, molasses and light smoke. The mouthfeel is extremely fat and oily yet smooth, soft and velvety with a balanced sticky ending. Aftertaste of bitter chocolate, coffee, bourbon hop dryness and molasses. Full bodied. Extreme but well balanced. Wow!

Serving type: bottle

10-04-2008 03:34:24 | More by Blursimarsi

Atron67

Wisconsin

4.5/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

bought this at the 2008 DLD and had both the vanilla bean and and oak aged versions.

overall i think they were better than the regular dark lord. the vanilla being alot better in taste with the vanilla blending in amazingly, however the nose of the vanilla bean aged was overpowered by the vanilla flavor. really creamy all over the place for both of them. the bourbon was much mor subtle on the nose, however also really good.

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2008 00:06:32 | More by Atron67

MrMcGibblets

Illinois

4.28/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

this was the 2006 woodford reserve barrel-aged version on cask at dl day. poured into a clear plastic solo cup, this was unlike any beer i have ever had. dark and thick like well-used motor oil. and i mean thick. this beer just left remnants of itself on the sides of the cup, turning the cup from clear to brown. brown head. the nose was absolutely huge, dominated by the whiskey notes along with chocolate, coffee, vanilla, smoke, toffee, and raisins. taste was a huge malt sweetness balanced a little by the 3f hops and roasty malts, but more to the malt/sweet side. mouthfeel was more viscous and thick than i have ever experienced. this had very little carbonation from the cask leaving it thickly sweet. long, long finish is ended by whiskey flavors and warming alcohol. still somehow smooth, though. this took a while just to drink a little bit and i probably could have just one of these in a sitting. a real sipper.
update: have had a few more of these, carbonation has been better, would add some serious charred fruit to the above. have enjoyed it more from the regular taps with the added Co2.

[ serving type: cask ]

Serving type: cask

05-05-2007 20:13:18 | More by MrMcGibblets

weeare138

Pennsylvania

4.7/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Special filled hand bottle from an un-named source creating a raving mystery much like the Dark Lord itself...
Appears a dark black with a small tan head that fades into a a gentle tan collar.
Smell is of rich maple sweet vanilla, dark chocolate, bourbon, oak, fresh brownie batter, and raisins.
Mouthfeel is heavy on the palate, warming, sweet, raisiny, and sticky with a mildly rich burn in the swallow.
Drinkability is pretty good on this despite the instant warming bourbon burn that makes it pretty intense with an alcohol presence. Nice!

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2006 17:07:33 | More by weeare138

murrayswine

Arizona

4.35/5  rDev -5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured for me at DL day for 6 bucks a shooter.
Black as hell. Just dark, and oily. The smell is coffee, caramel, nuts, hops (go figure) and acrid bitters. Hint of anise too.
The taste is rather balanced. Thick as hell too. A lot like Founders KBB in it's bourbon/coffee balance. I really thought this would have a lot more grip to it, but it is deadly smooth.
I cry knowing I have to wait a year to try this again.

Serving type: cask

04-30-2006 01:44:30 | More by murrayswine