A desert island stout. I had the 2013 version (I'm guessing?) at new year 2013/2014 (preceded by some Laurent Perrier) and another a few months later. The first was out of the fridge and left to stand for 15mins or so, the second at 14°C (approx). 2 very different experiences in taste terms. The appearance is standard: butterscotch head, oily and black pour. For my first bottle, there was only a minimal nose but it increased throughout. Coffee. Dark sugar + dried fruit (raisins). Balanced with burnt malt and a coffee bitterness. Meat: marmite and dried mushroom. This was one of my first 'Belgian stouts', so the high(ish) carbonation was a bit weird (having been used to Kernel impy brown slickness). Occasionallly in the drinking, it reminded me of a supercharged Guinness Foreign Export. Overall impression was sweetness and stickiness, good but not blown away.
My second bottle however: oh my days. The hops appeared and changed the thing entirely. A powerful nose this time - rainwater mushrooms and grassy hops, some nail varnish. The taste was as above in places but more akin to a well made cappucino with hops. Some liquorice at the death but I could live with that. I've bought up a few bottles of the 2015 vintage - I can confirm that it's just as good and I'm quite smug in the knowledge that I still have 3 bottles waiting.
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