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

nhindian

Pennsylvania

3.55/5  rDev -18%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

22oz bottle poured into a Surly Darkness tulip. Bottle courtesy of brian23456, thanks Brian! Split with russwbeck. Consumed after Surly Darkness.

2010 Vintage (Olive green wax)

A - The beer doesn't pour as much as slowly spill out of the bottle, thick and viscous and black as night. Don't even think about getting any traces of highlights with this beer, even when sipping. The head is less impressive, only offering about half a finger's worth with okay retention. When it's gone it's gone, leaving only a few strands of thin foam on the surface. The color of the head itself is lighter than Darkness, coming in at a sort of tan color. Lacing is decent as well, with a few random splotches, but again, Darkness wins in this regard as well.

S - The smell is oddly familiar and yet quite vague. After reading some other views, it seemed soy sauce was a common theme, so we pulled out a large bottle of soy sauce that Russ had laying around. Yep, there is definitely some comparisons to be made, unfortunately. However, there are also deep aromas of almost milk chocolate and nearly burnt malts, like a slight charcoal. It's also very sweet and there is some fusel-like alcohol notes as well.

T - My first taste took my by surprise as its incredibly sweet, bordering on the wrong side of cloying, which isn't a term to be used lightly. The sweetness is a shock at first, but it gradually becomes more acceptable, yet it's still a bit much. The chocolate makes a strong resurgence here as well, bringing a nice flavor. The malts and molasses bring a distinct flavor, but can't say it doesn't add to the already sweet base. The alcohol is back as well, but actually imparts a bit of rum-soaked fruits that is interesting.

M - Mouthfeel is heavy-bodied with moderately low carbonation. More carbonation that Darkness despite the weaker head. The liquid is thick and leaves a solid coating on the palate.

D - Drinkability is moderate. Unfortunately, this beer is much too sweet and alcoholic for my tastes. It's unique in that it plays on the sweeter side of the Russian Imperial Stout spectrum, but in my opinion it's a bit too much. I'm really glad I got to try it, but I can't say I wasn't a little disappointed with it.

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2011 18:22:32 | More by nhindian

Kmat10

Alberta (Canada)

5/5  rDev +15.5%

05-20-2013 03:56:07 | More by Kmat10

Kreko7

California

4.75/5  rDev +9.7%

05-19-2013 16:17:43 | More by Kreko7

ShawnMH

Indiana

3.75/5  rDev -13.4%

05-19-2013 15:25:46 | More by ShawnMH

shagens

Wisconsin

4.5/5  rDev +3.9%

05-19-2013 15:06:44 | More by shagens

Tittles

Indiana

4.75/5  rDev +9.7%

05-19-2013 13:44:06 | More by Tittles

robwestcott

Indiana

4.75/5  rDev +9.7%

05-19-2013 00:27:38 | More by robwestcott

smartassboiler

Illinois

4/5  rDev -7.6%

05-18-2013 22:29:56 | More by smartassboiler

THANAT0PSIS

Wisconsin

4.33/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Three Floyds Dark Lord 2013

Appearance: Dark Lord lives up to its name. It pours an extremely dark brown, perhaps even to the point of being black. There is just a half-centimeter of dark tan head, which is not surprising in its relative absence. The lacing is spotty and minimal, and the alcohol legs are just as intense as the color of the pour. This is a typical looking Russian imperial stout, and, at 15% ABV, it cannot be faulted too much for the lack of head.

Aroma: Huge notes of chocolate, vanilla, coffee, and alcohol jump out of the glass immediately. It smells very sweet to the point of smelling like double chocolate chip cookies. There is a very mild hop presence, but thankfully it appears Three Floyds did not do their signature over-hopping to this beer. The hops combined with the strong alcohol aromas, an underlying cherry, dark fruit, and anise aroma all help to cut the almost overwhelming sweetness. This is a very complex smelling beer, but it is also a bit sweet smelling.

Taste: Apparently the rumors about Dark Lord are true. The beer is just a little too sweet, and the sweetness is not cut by anything really. The hop presence is still there, but in a sweet hop oil capacity rather than a cutting bitterness. The alcohol also just is not enough, in fact it is a sweet alcohol, which only adds to the sweetness. There is just a touch of the green apple flavor that the 2013 batch was rumored to have, but it meshes well with the rest of the beer for the most part, especially well with the cherries and the dark fruit. The chocolate and coffee are there, but it is more of a mocha than the bitterness one would expect from these qualities in a stout. It is a very complex beer, but it is a little bit too cloying.

Mouthfeel: The mouthfeel is perhaps the best part of this beer. It is velvety, creamy, slick, oily, warming, and thick. It is everything that a Russian imperial stout should be. There is nothing more to say.

Overall: If only this beer was more balanced. It does not quite live up to the hype, but it is still certainly a great beer. Three Floyds has a reputation for pushing the envelope, and I think it fell right off the table on this one. It is still a very good beer, but it is not worth jumping through the hoops that you must to get it. Try it, but do not trade your left arm for it. 18/20

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2013 01:42:32 | More by THANAT0PSIS

BradSillars

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev -1.8%

05-18-2013 01:16:50 | More by BradSillars

Ebf

Illinois

5/5  rDev +15.5%

05-17-2013 23:48:29 | More by Ebf

darvinlikemarvin

Iowa

5/5  rDev +15.5%

05-17-2013 18:28:44 | More by darvinlikemarvin

thaghost

Illinois

4.75/5  rDev +9.7%

05-17-2013 17:30:04 | More by thaghost

twenty5

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -7.6%

05-17-2013 16:04:51 | More by twenty5

carlosega

Ohio

4.25/5  rDev -1.8%

05-16-2013 20:24:58 | More by carlosega

Rainblows

Illinois

3.5/5  rDev -19.2%

05-16-2013 14:33:35 | More by Rainblows

deekyn

California

4.5/5  rDev +3.9%

05-16-2013 04:07:21 | More by deekyn

cmdmzmjm

Illinois

4/5  rDev -7.6%

05-16-2013 02:15:23 | More by cmdmzmjm

justforrazors

Missouri

4.59/5  rDev +6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Impromptu first review, just finished this bottle and figured it would be a good one to start reviewing with.

2011 bottle, served at 50-55 degrees in a snifter.

A- Jet black, a mocha head quickly appears during the pour but quickly dissipates to nothing. Some alcohol legs.

S- Extremely sweet- Cherries, molasses, and alcohol. No roast or coffee detected.

T- Very sweet, but not overly so. I can taste cherries, figs, molasses, and a bit of an alcohol bite. Finishes like a port, absolutely delicious.

M- Silky smooth, a bit of alcohol bite but it is an easy sipper.

O- This is an excellent beer, but I feel it could use another year or two and hopefully some of the sweetness will die down. It was very enjoyable, and surprisingly I could have drank quite a bit more than the half a bottle I had without getting the full feeling I sometimes get from RIS.

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2013 22:30:00 | More by justforrazors

mvdillman

Indiana

4.75/5  rDev +9.7%

05-15-2013 18:16:09 | More by mvdillman

hey5hitgoose

Illinois

4/5  rDev -7.6%

05-15-2013 17:37:48 | More by hey5hitgoose

illy0sis

Texas

3/5  rDev -30.7%

05-14-2013 22:05:52 | More by illy0sis

UnderJoath

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +3.9%

05-14-2013 19:48:15 | More by UnderJoath

Jordy777

Illinois

4/5  rDev -7.6%

05-14-2013 18:15:06 | More by Jordy777

4amepiphany

Illinois

5/5  rDev +15.5%

05-14-2013 05:11:24 | More by 4amepiphany