Masterpiece
FiftyFifty Brewing Co.

A: Poured into a snifter to a deep black beer topped by a dense and slightly rocky finger and a half of deep tan head which fades slowly to a collar around the edge of the glass with minimal lacing
S: Smells of oak, vanilla, dark chocolate, coffee, and a lot of nice roasted malt notes with a hint of bitterness
T: Taste is roasted malts, dark chocolate, coffee, nice oak, light vanilla and caramel with a good amount of barrel notes. Hints of molasses and dark sugars as well. On the swallow there's more dark chocolate, vanilla, caramel, oak, coffee, and lingering roasted malt notes. Hints of chocolate covered cherries as well at the very end.
M: This beer is on the lighter side of full in body with a silky feel on the palate. Carbonation is smooth and low which is nice while the beer has a slightly dry finish.
O: Overall this beer is incredible. 18 months in the wood is quite some time but this beer doesn't come across as being overly tannic or oaky. The amount of complexity that this beer brings to the table is truly impressive and it's an absolute joy to drink. It does have a surprising amount of alcohol on the taste compared to other FiftyFifty beers, but it doesn't detract much. Definitely one to try and get your hands on.

 

Had this at the Eclipse party, can't remember which year. Pours a slightly more thick than the Eclipse series. Brown head, 1/4". Aroma on the pappy barrel stuff always seems to drop a hefty amount of booze with it, and this one seems the strongest of the bunch, ones the burn is gone, you pick up the bourbon, chocolate and oak thing a little better.

Taste is more alcohol heat. It does temper down a little once you get adjusted to the sheer heft of the beer. I dunno, thought a smaller stout they traditionally do like Eclipse was a better fit if you're trying to show off a barrel, same way I think light malt/session/pale ales are best for a single hop beer usually. Its a conflicting position, one the one hand, hey, the pappy stuff is really good, but on the other, there is a little more hotness to it and they tend to be really pricey.

I dunno, EC12 actually tastes better, cheaper, easier to acquire. . .

Been saving this bottle for awhile meant to open it the weekend of my wedding, but with so much beer, i held off and instead opened it the following weekend at a good friends engagement party...jet black in appearance, smell is smokey, bourbon and chocolate. I also get some dark fruit, but very faintly..taste is bourbon up front followed by some creamy chocolate. For a bottle thats almost 4 years old, there is still a decent amount of alcohol burn on the back end, which was surprising, but didnt distract from how good this is..easily the best of the fifty fifty eclipse series that ive had..it was a PITA to get this and i waited awhile to open it but worth the wait