Under the Kilt Traverse City Whiskey Barrel Aged
Dragonmead Microbrewery

Not only does this make my favorite beer better, it makes the other barrel aged beers by Founders look silly that they are even doing it. This reminds me a lot of the older version of UTK, definitely a beer worth trying multiple times.

12 ounce bottle into snifter; no bottle dating, but is a recent release. Pours crystal clear nearly opaque dark brown/black color with a 1-2 finger finger dense and rocky khaki head with awesome retention, that reduces to a nice cap that lingers. Nice spotty soapy lacing clings on the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation. Fantastic appearance. Aromas of big raisin, plum, prune, fig, date, apricot, red apple, caramel, brown sugar, toffee, vanilla, bourbon, toasted oak, nuts, and dark/brown bread; with light notes of coconut, molasses, licorice, milk chocolate, cocoa, leather, tobacco, herbal, and yeast/roast/toast/oak earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of dark/bready/light roast malts, fruity yeast, and bourbon barrel notes; with great strength. Taste of huge raisin, plum, prune, fig, date, apricot, red apple, caramel, brown sugar, toffee, vanilla, bourbon, toasted oak, nuts, and dark/brown bread; with light notes of coconut, molasses, licorice, milk chocolate, cocoa, leather, tobacco, herbal, and yeast/roast/toast/oak earthiness. Very mild herbal/roast bitterness and bourbon/oak spiciness on the finish. Lingering notes of raisin, plum, prune, fig, date, apricot, red apple, caramel, brown sugar, toffee, vanilla, bourbon, toasted oak, nuts, dark/brown bread, milk chocolate, cocoa, leather, tobacco, herbal, and yeast/roast/toast/oak earthiness on the finish for a while. Amazing complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/bready/light roast malts, fruity yeast, and bourbon barrel flavors; with a solid malt/bitterness and bourbon/oak spiciness balance; with no cloying flavors after the finish. Slightly increasing dryness from lingering bitter/spiciness. Light-medium carbonation and medium-full body; with a very smooth, creamy/silky/bready, and slightly sticky/chalky/tannic mouthfeel that is fantastic. Zero warming alcohol for 8.4%. Overall this is an amazing barrel aged scotch ale! All around incredible complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/bready/light roast malts, fruity yeast, and bourbon barrel flavors; very smooth and dangerously easy to drink for the ABV, with the minimally bitter/drying finish. Perfectly balanced rich malts and fruity yeast complexity; with great bourbon barrel presence/integration. Not overwhelming or boozy on barrels. A highly enjoyable offering, amazing spot on style example.