“Our first foray into barrel ageing, this decadent imperial stout aged in whisky barrels is rich and full bodied with jammy fruit and spice, and a lingering creamy sweetness.”

Glassware: Snifter.

Appearance: Pours an impenetrable black and sports a frothy two finger head which gradually peels off. Excellent lacing in its wake.

Aroma: We’ve been hearing some good things about these new kids on the Marrickville block and judging by the first whiff we can understand why. The base Stout is superb…uber roasty (almost charred), heady espresso and dark chocolate, molasses, licorice, leather. The usual suspects really. The whiskey/barrels are subtle but well integrated – a little smoky, a little spicy and sweet. We’d love to know which distillers’ barrels were used.

Flavour: Good follow through. It’s rich, warming, very roasty but still well moderated. The front palate is all whiskey…it comes on with Apera-style notes then it entertains some spice and vanilla sweetness. The base Stout creeps in very methodically…first the charred malt then the espresso, dark chocolate and molasses. This gradual shift to sweetness makes the finish even more enjoyable as it balances out perfectly.

Mouthfeel: Well weighted but still sitting around that medium-full mark. Nicely carbed and the 11.5% ABV, although noticeable, is well within the realms of the style.

Overall: Our first crack at Kicks and apparently their first crack at barrel aging. We’re jumping on the bandwagon. We reckon these guys have what it takes. Let’s go!