Espresso Imperial Stout

From a bottle dated April 16, 2010, numbered 203 of 516. Pours opaque with a half inch of deep brown, mocha colored foam. The foam quickly disappears. The thin layer of foam that stays behind leaves a touch of lacing on each sip that slinks back to level. Aroma is faint. Brown sugar and molasses, slanted towards the brown sugar. Dark fruits, plum, gives the sense of age. A sweet, creamy, milky scent carries, reminiscent of a milk stout. Taste has a bitterness that carries throughout, seemingly brought out by the espresso. Lingers, quite harsh. Underlying burnt, smoke, peat with light sweetness is behind the battered coffee. Body is medium. A sense of dryness keeps the mouthfeel from being more. Carbonation is light end of medium or less. Packaged well as the beer was not contaminated over time. The age probably hurt of the overall impression of the beer but the espresso bitterness is too much. The smokiness doesn't help my overall impression either. Enjoy!