Big Black Violet
Dugges Ale- & Porterbryggeri AB

Pours near black with a brief 1" tan head that quickly fades to a thin ring, no lacing. Nose is strikingly similar to an Aviation right off the bat - sweet and floral from creme de violette and a nicely balanced citric sourness. Very enticing on the nose. Taste doesn't quite live up to the nose, however. There's a good, balanced sourness up front with some floral elements, but a savory, gelatinous unsweetened licorice note quickly builds. The taste (feel?) is similar to hydrogenated cooking oil, similar to when a donut fried in Crisco cools to room temperature. The taste/feel of that coating, thick flavor overwhelms the otherwise balanced floral and acid notes and just detracts from the overall experience. Carbonation is otherwise pretty crisp, but it would need to be far more aggressive to help wash the palate.