Smokey

Pouts jet black with a fair mocha head, with moderate retention and good lace. Aroma is primarily of deeply roasted chocolate malt, with hints of coffee and smoke alongside an ever-so-faint trace of earthy hops. Flavorwise, it begins with a grainy maltiness of remarkably dark, dark chocolate followed by a slight smokiness and moderate earthy hoppiness that keeps it quite dry. Quite full bodied and warming on the tongue, while the alcohol can be tasted! Unlike most smoked beers that overwhelm you, the smoke here is much less overt, which is nice, though it is otherwise unremarkable to me as an imperial stout. Good but not remarkable. After a year: two key differences, chocolate taste becomes sweeter like chocolate malt with a touch of milk chocolate, and alcohol taste notes disappear.