Liquid Spiritual Delight - Barrel-Aged - Mexican Cake
2nd Shift Brewing

Pours black with two fingers of caramel foam. Some oily legs form on the glass after a soft swirl of the glass. Aroma is heavy Mexican spices, vanilla bean, cinnamon, cocoa, white cake batter, and bourbon. While the last may sound strange, the flow is fantastic, opening up with soothing, warming spices and dry cocoa that get naturally swept away by a light rise of bourbon and char. Roasty and toasty malts add some firmness underneath, but the story is really centered in spices and bourbon. Flavor profile is the same mix of notes, but with the spices at a more consistent level with cake. To be clear, cinnamon, vanilla bean, cocoa nibs, and Mexican spices arrive alongside white cake batter. Roasty and toasty malts add firm support, and are a little more apparent in the flavor profile than the nose. Only late in the flavor profile does the taste transition to bourbon and barrel character, effectively allowing the flavor profile to play out, before capping things off. Mouth feel is thick with a creamy texture that creates this decadent experience. Overall, the subtle notes are great here without ever straying into overly sugary, sweet, or cloying. It pushes what the label says - Mexican chocolate cake - all washed down with a light sip of whiskey. Beautiful.

Served in a 15.5oz Spiegelau tulip from a 12oz can.