Hegemony - Anniver7ary Reserve
St. Boniface Craft Brewing Company

Poured from a 750ml bottle into pint glass in February 2020. The bottle did not have a bottled-on date. It was labeled bottle #807 of 1200. I bought this about 1 month ago, along with a bottle of their "8th Anniver8ary Reserve" which I have not opened yet.

Appearance: Very dark black with a medium dark brown head. Head was about 3 fingers high, and lasted a minute. It left a little lacing on the glass, and ended with a thin tan head still on the beer.

Smell: Nice aroma of caramel, bourbon, and coffee. There is also some cocoa, dark fruit, and some other sweet aroma like black licorice, but overall the coffee and caramel dominate the others. It is a very nice balance of aromas.

Taste: There is a nice balance between the coffee, burnt malt, and sweetness like caramel and licorice flavors. There is some dark fruit flavors like cherry, as well as vanilla flavors, chocolate, and only a little amount of bitter hop flavors to enhance the taste and add some complexity. There is a strong alcohol presence, which matches the 11.3% on the label, but it is balanced nicely by the sweetness. The taste is an excellent mix.

Mouth-feel: Thick like liquid licorice, but with a smooth body. Not overly smooth like a Milk Stout.

This is a very good, complex, Imperial Stout, and it has a variety of flavors that adds a nice complexity to the beer. Although this is a big beer, it is very smooth and enjoyable to drink. This sweetness and coffee flavors are a nice balance to the high alcohol content. I would definitely buy this again.