“An 18.4% ABV Rye Imperial Stout that spent four months in rye whisky barrels from Tasmania’s Belgrove Distillery. A stupidly tasty melange of rich dark chocolate, molasses, hazelnuts and boozy rumminess.”
Served in a beer tulip. The pitch black pour generates a finger of tanned foam that gradually retreats and establishes a thin film over the top. Some scarce spots of lacing are left behind as we imbibe. From the first whiff you just know this is going to be an enormous beer. Liqueur-ish scents of port and rum are further intensified by moreish prunes/raisins, fig, molasses and damp wood. Alcohol comes gushing out in abundance as a kind of earthy and or soil-like character comes through. A plethora of undertones including leather, espresso, whiskey, spice, licorice and charred malts only add top this insanely potent stouts complexity. It’s ridiculous! Absolutely brilliant, but ridiculous! Wow, if we didn’t already know the ABV we would not have picked it, that’s for sure. She drinks surprisingly smoothly with an oily texture and a mild Co2 level. Sure, there is a slight burn from the whopping 18.4% alcohol volume but it’s contained and very well buried among the dense and viscous feel. An explosion of flavours are detonated on the palate. Everything from alcohol, charred malt, port, raisin, spice and whiskey come forth. A rich but not overly sweet molasses-like flavour develops as a spicy rye-like dryness creeps in across the mid. A short but intense alcohol burn is introduced as it lands on a rich, malty finish leaving us with that piquant and elegant rear palate that is simply decadent. We’re lost for words right now. This would have to be Moon Dog’s best Jumping the Shark beer. We can not fault it, it’s absolutely divine. If you see this bad boy on the shelves, bag it! You won’t regret it one bit.