I haven’t had this beer in probably 10 years, but it used to my absolute favorite beer in the world; only brewed once a year on St. Nicholas Day (December 6th) and aged 10 months before bottling. And while not barrel aged, I used my barrel aged glass because it is just as complex and strong as a barrel aged stout would be, not to mention that this has aged in the bottle for 3 years.
Pours a clear auburn color with no real head retention, smells of raisins, caramel, and honeyed oats. The taste is sweet and fruity with notes of apple, cherry, caramel, honey, vanilla, sweet cream, and alcohol on a syrupy, slick body. The finish is long and low to moderate in bitterness, featuring notes of grape must, salted caramel, and herbal hops along with an alcoholic warmth. Overall, it’s just as delicious as I remembered. Hard to say if it’s my #1 favorite, as my palate has expanded significantly since then, but is extremely well balanced, extremely complex, and extraordinarily delicious.
