Nikita (Bourbon Barrel Aged)
Rising Tide Brewing Company

Bottled Nov 9th, 2018, picked up at the brewery about a year ago

Pours a mocha colored frothy rich thicker 2 finger head with great retention, doesn't seem to fade, fair stick lacing as well, can't tell the legs yet, jet black beer... after the head is gone fair legs

Nose delivers what I was looking for, lots of dark malts, some roasted malt notes with a touch of coffee, some chocolate ganache and cocoa, lots of baking spices and some cookie dough, getting a bit fudgey, some vanilla rounding it off, with a bit of oak barrel and touch of bourbon, some caramel as well, smooth and rich, no real alcohol

Taste rich dark malts again, roasty with some roasted coffee and a touch of char, but more fudge and chocolate ganache, rich creamy chocolate and cocoa, lots of baking spices, touch of anise, more cookie dough and some vanilla barrel, fair bitterness, light bourbon which I wish was more, but very little smooth alcohol, getting a little too spicy late with roasted malt bitterness and spicy hops kicking in, a bit sticky on the finish

Mouth is med to fuller bod, higher carb that hints at distracting level but not quite there, very low warming alcohol

Overall pretty solid beer, great base stout that has nice spices, cookie dough, chocolate, vanilla, etc, carbonation is a tad high, and bitterness is maybe a touch too much as well, I also didn't get any dark fruits which aren't always necessary in RIS but the good ones should have it. The lack of bourbon though was maybe my biggest complaint.