Aroma: Very low key, suprised how light overall the scent. Maybe light roasted malt and a couple other notes.
1st Taste: Holy cow, flavor explosion. This is deep black hole of chocolate, then dark fruits (prunes and what), and then alcohol fire.
Overall: This brew is huge and complex and interesting. Definately a brew that'd get better with age. Only knock might be that the alcohol taste sticks out a little. But, this was freshly bottled on 2/19/10 so it's green. Worth keeping an eye on this brew.
Poured opaque and black like midnight. A nice brown, frothy, creamy foam that was a good two inches thick. Retention was solid. Lacing, which there wasn't much of, was thick a patchy.
Aroma is roasted malt and not that big. Maybe a touch of alcohol. I wasn't impressed by the aroma.
Taste is GREAT! So complex: dark fruits, bitter from hops and chocolate, roasted malt, and some shots of brown sugar sweetness. A bit of coffee is there in finish too.
Thick, rich, and creamy body leaves no doubt this is an imperial stout. Mildly carbonated. Drying.
This is a really outstanding beer. I wish I would have bought more than one. When I was at the beer store I noticed they had a couple left, hopefully they will have at least one left. Go get it if you can. Enjoy!
"Well ya see, Norm, it's like this... A herd of buffalo can only move as fast as the slowest buffalo. And when the herd is hunted, it is the slowest and weakest ones at the back that are killed first. This natural selection is good for the herd as a whole, because the general speed and health of the whole group keeps improving by the regular killing of the weakest members. In much the same way, the human brain can only operate as fast as the slowest brain cells. Excessive intake of alcohol, as we know, kills brain cells. But naturally, it attacks the slowest and weakest brain cells first. In this way, regular consumption of beer eliminates the weaker brain cells, making the brain a faster and more efficient machine. That's why you always feel smarter after a few beers." - Cliff Clavin, of Cheers