Cuvée Spéciale Hiver
Microbrasserie de l'ile d'Orléans

Bottle, cellared about two years (thx northyorksammy!), poured into my Delirium snifter, Hiver is black with a small tan head, low carbonation, some pretty big bubbles, very light lace.

Smell is chocolate and sweet, marzipan, a bit vinous.

Taste is similar, big time marzipan, modest roast, marshmallow as well. The chocolate is nice, but the candy is too much for me.

Mouthfeel is a little limp, this could use more carbonation. Medium bodied.

Drinkability is ok, it's pretty smooth, no flaws, just not my style of stout, to much sweetness, lactose I'm sure. If you like milk stout's, you'll like the idea of a double milk stout, but I don't.

500 ml bottle, big thanks to grub for sharing!

Pours a hazy dark brown red, almost black away from the light, very thick tan head forms, settles down to a thick ring around the glass and thin layer, some lace spots stick.

Smell is nice, lots of dark fruit, some caramel and brown sugar, very big licorice note, raisin, some chocolate, nice roasting, really neat fruity Belgiany character, grapes, alcohol comes through, maybe a bit of spice, pretty neat.

Taste is similar, sweet and fruity, caramel and brown sugar, a bit of plastic/medicinal character, light bit of chocolate and roast, raisins, chocolate milk, grapes, licorice, nice smooth and toasty finish, slightly lactic, but neat character.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied with low to medium carbonation but still feels a bit thin. A little bit of warmth going down but some pretty nice character. Thanks Russ!

got this one in a trade with papat444. thanks pat!

500ml bottle. sampled feb 19/2010.

pours nearly black and mostly opaque with a small dense light brown head. the head drops fairly fast and leaves spotty lace as it falls.

aroma is good. dark and milk chocolate. bit of espresso. caramel and a bit of toffee. light alcohol. anise. dark toasted multi-grain bread and biscuit. bit of cracker. herbal and slightly earthy.

taste is good. dark and bittersweet chocolate. bit of milk chocolate. espresso. dark toasted multi-grain bread and biscuit. bit of cracker. anise. nice herbal and earthy component. low bitterness level. slightly fruity. caramel and toffee. light alcohol. just a hint of lactic sourness.

mouthfeel is good. nice big body. medium carbonation level.

drinkability is great. nice balance. decent depth and complexity. seems more like a RIS than an american imperial, but tasty either way.

Cellared/refrigerated for over a year...

A: Black with hints of ruby-brown; pours with a nice, frothy tan head, good retention & lacing.

S: Coffee, smoke, licorice, blackstrap molasses, bakers chocolate, woodsy spicing, rum, very enticing.

T: Coffee, licorice, molasses, smoke, dark bread, woodsy spice, roasted nut, bakers chocolate, solid bitterness, alcohol is well-hidden.

M: Well-attenuated, moderately full body is off-dry with a slightly warming alcohol finish.

D: Incredible for its weight. An excellent winter warmer.

Imperial stout or imperial porter? Not too thick as a stout, yet clearly roasty. Pours dark, a modest white head. Roasty stouty, very consistent roastiness,and you can smell it. Overall like a 1.5 not imperial, some chocolate. Decent drinkability, there is some sourness in the finish that is strongly malted away. Significant nuttiness.

A: Pours a very nice opaque black with a strong light brown head. Gorgeous stout.

S: Lots of dark chocolate and vanilla. Some coffee is present too. Roasted malts are present too. It also has a nice molasses/toffee sweetness.

T: Roasted malts come upfront. Then it's all about the dark chocolate and the vanilla sweetness. Coffee is still there, but even less present than in the smell. Molasses and toffee are much more present too.

M: Very smooth and creamy brew with a heavy body. Very pleasant to drink.

D: Could not be higher for a beer of this style. You can drink it very easily and ask for more without problem.