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Darkness - High West Rye Whiskey Barrel Aged (2014)
Surly Brewing Company
- From:
- Surly Brewing Company
- Minnesota, United States
- Style:
- Russian Imperial Stout
- ABV:
- 10.3%
- Score:
- 99
- Avg:
- 4.47 | pDev: 7.61%
- Reviews:
- 70
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Feb 05, 2022
- Added:
- Oct 17, 2014
- Wants:
- 230
- Gots:
- 203
Bottled 2014 Darkness was aged in barrels that previously held High West Rye Whiskey and then Surly Eight.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by akang:
Rated by akang from California
3.75/5 rDev -16.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Dec 27, 2014
3.75/5 rDev -16.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Dec 27, 2014
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by zonker17 from Texas
4.44/5 rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
4.44/5 rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
Coming in late but not too late on this one. Pours near black with active brown head that fully dissipates. Nose of cherry, vanilla, light coffee. Taste adds chocolate but the fruit flavors of raisin and dried cherry is so present. Booziness from whiskey, slight burn with coffee finish. Body is perfect, a bit creamy, thick with mild carbonation. At over 7 years old simply amazing!
Feb 05, 2022Reviewed by mjpolzin from Wisconsin
4.24/5 rDev -5.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
4.24/5 rDev -5.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
I know the general consensus is that this vintage of Barrel Aged Darkness is inferior to the version that came out in 2015. I disagree and actually prefer this beer to the higher rated 2015 barrel aged Darkness. A few reasons I think this is the case....
1. I had 2015 Darkness right after having Central Waters Rye Black Gold which happens to be my #1 favorite beer. So I probably rated it lower than I should have
2. Regular Darkness gets much better with age. I suspect that is the case with this one also. Although the barrel character is just okay, the malts have really started to shine through. This beer is probably better now than it was when it was fresh.
In a very competitive barrel aged stout category, this one is far from the best. But I still really enjoyed the complexity this beer had to offer.
Dec 24, 20161. I had 2015 Darkness right after having Central Waters Rye Black Gold which happens to be my #1 favorite beer. So I probably rated it lower than I should have
2. Regular Darkness gets much better with age. I suspect that is the case with this one also. Although the barrel character is just okay, the malts have really started to shine through. This beer is probably better now than it was when it was fresh.
In a very competitive barrel aged stout category, this one is far from the best. But I still really enjoyed the complexity this beer had to offer.
Reviewed by Treyliff from West Virginia
4.37/5 rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.37/5 rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
750ml bottle poured into a tulip
A- pours a deep black color with a small foamy khaki colored head that reduces to a ring around the edge
S- smells of dark cherry, rum raisin, caramel, spicy rye, vanilla & oak
T- opens with dark chocolate and sharp black cherry, followed by vanilla and caramel. Chocolate and spicy rye. Barrel notes are very light, but they're is definitely present. The finish gives more cherry and light coffee, lingers of chocolate and cherry
M- medium body with moderate carbonation leads to a slightly foamy mouthfeel and a warming finish
O- classic dark cherry Darkness flavors, would like more barrel notes though
Dec 17, 2016A- pours a deep black color with a small foamy khaki colored head that reduces to a ring around the edge
S- smells of dark cherry, rum raisin, caramel, spicy rye, vanilla & oak
T- opens with dark chocolate and sharp black cherry, followed by vanilla and caramel. Chocolate and spicy rye. Barrel notes are very light, but they're is definitely present. The finish gives more cherry and light coffee, lingers of chocolate and cherry
M- medium body with moderate carbonation leads to a slightly foamy mouthfeel and a warming finish
O- classic dark cherry Darkness flavors, would like more barrel notes though
Reviewed by aleigator from Germany
4.48/5 rDev +0.2%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
4.48/5 rDev +0.2%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
Pours a viscous pitch black color with a solid, stable mohagony head.
Smells of an interesting interplay between toasted malts, leafy hops and spicy coconut with a decadent chocolate coating. Awesome, just like the original, enhanced by a nice oaken note, which adds even more complexity on the nose.
Incredibly smooth and thick on the tongue with a nice spiciness as an antagonist to loads of whipped cream and melting milk chocolate. Has a bigger body, revealed by the Rye barrel, producing a pleasant warmth.
Tastes of untamed hops with ripe oranges and leaf wrapped lime, coated by rich, smooth milk chocolate. The chocolate then turns dryer, more bitter, as toasty malts turn more present, spiced up by a hot, dry Bourbon bite. The beer never loses its balance though, mainly due to its well functioning malt foundation and gentle smoothness with an awesome interplay between chocolate, hops and the barrel. Finishes with alcohol soaked pralines, firewood, bakers chocolate, fudge and and a hint of glazed caramel, again, pleasantly soothed up by cream.
A real treat! Definitely lets the base beer shine through, but it allows the barrel to develop beautifully atop. Decadent and rich, while remaining easy drinkable, featuring an amazing amount of milk chocolate, amped up by the tasty hops, which cut through.
Nov 13, 2016Smells of an interesting interplay between toasted malts, leafy hops and spicy coconut with a decadent chocolate coating. Awesome, just like the original, enhanced by a nice oaken note, which adds even more complexity on the nose.
Incredibly smooth and thick on the tongue with a nice spiciness as an antagonist to loads of whipped cream and melting milk chocolate. Has a bigger body, revealed by the Rye barrel, producing a pleasant warmth.
Tastes of untamed hops with ripe oranges and leaf wrapped lime, coated by rich, smooth milk chocolate. The chocolate then turns dryer, more bitter, as toasty malts turn more present, spiced up by a hot, dry Bourbon bite. The beer never loses its balance though, mainly due to its well functioning malt foundation and gentle smoothness with an awesome interplay between chocolate, hops and the barrel. Finishes with alcohol soaked pralines, firewood, bakers chocolate, fudge and and a hint of glazed caramel, again, pleasantly soothed up by cream.
A real treat! Definitely lets the base beer shine through, but it allows the barrel to develop beautifully atop. Decadent and rich, while remaining easy drinkable, featuring an amazing amount of milk chocolate, amped up by the tasty hops, which cut through.
Darkness - High West Rye Whiskey Barrel Aged (2014) from Surly Brewing Company
Beer rating:
99 out of
100 with
725 ratings
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