Bourbon Barrel Cherry Stout

Poured from a 2011 bottle. Pours opaque into my snifter with an inch of tan, frothy head that has about a medium amount of retention. Lacing is minimal and seeks the level. Aroma is quite interesting. Tart cherries come on top of sweet chocolate, roasted malt, and bourbon. The bourbon seems to give off a sweet scent that seems to have brown sugar written all over it. Taste has tart cherries up front and pretty much throughout the drink. The beer and bourbon start to fight through mid sip. This brings on bourbon, oak, chocolate, sweet molasses, and slight roasted notes that are strongest in the end into the finish, with a lingering sensation of bourbon, sweet, and tart. I did server this fairly warm but as it got up into the 60s, it seems that the tart gives way a bit to the underlying beer but is still noticeable. Medium body with medium or better carbonation that seems tide to the cherry tart. Definitely dries the palate. The spin of adding tart cherries to a bourbon aged imperial stout is interesting; I like this beer. But I would take a straight imperial stout aged in bourbon over this any time, as the carbonation was a bit high and the tartness just distracted me too much from the base beer and bourbon barrel. Enjoy!