Delusion - Koval Whiskey Barrel-Aged
Greenbush Brewing Company

12 ounce bottle from into a snifter. Bottled 11/23/15, had 3/6/19.

Pours dark, mostly opaque- some light creeping in along the edge, with a half inch foamy head, and some light foamy lacing. Still has terrific aromas of whiskey, tobacco, chocolate, figs, dates, raisins, oak, malt, light vanilla, some caramel, molasses, light smoke and char, maybe a little leather. The taste has held up really well, too- whiskey, roasted malt, chocolate, a little less tobacco than the nose, cocoa, some molasses, figs, raisins, some dates, light vanilla, caramel, slight bitterness on the finish. Smooth, a solid full body, well carbonated.

This was a pleasant surprise, as was the Templeton version, which I had a few months earlier. I’ve had a number of more prestigious BA stouts that have not aged nearly this well. Aromas and flavors are just terrific, expressive and complex. But, I do think the Templeton version has aged a little better overall, and I felt this was the better version earlier on.

 

 

 

 

12 ounce bottle into snifter, bottled on 11/20/2014. Pours dense pitch black color with a 1 finger dense dark tan head with good retention, that reduces to a nice cap that lingers. Nice dense soapy lacing clings around the glass. Aromas with big dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee, vanilla, toffee, bourbon, oak, cream, light smoke/char, and roast/oak earthiness. Damn nice aromas with good balance and complexity of dark/roasted malt and bourbon barrel notes; with good strength. Taste of big dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee, vanilla, toffee, bourbon, oak, cream, light smoke/char, and roast/oaky earthiness. Fair amount of roast/oaky bitterness on the finish; with lingering notes of dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee, toffee, vanilla, bourbon, oak, cream, light smoke/char, and roast/oaky earthiness on the finish for a while. Damn nice balance, robustness, and complexity of dark/roasted malt and bourbon barrel flavors; with a great roasted bitterness/sweetness balance and zero cloying flavors after the finish. Light-medium carbonation and fairly full bodied; with a very creamy, fairly slick, and slightly chalky mouthfeel that great. Alcohol is very well hidden with only a light warming present after the finish. Overall this is an excellent barrel aged imperial cream stout. All around great complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/roasted malt and bourbon barrel flavors; and very smooth to sip on for the big ABV. A very enjoyable offering.