Big Munro - Buffalo Trace Bourbon Barrel-Aged
Barreled Souls Brewing Company

Drank 07.09.25. Divine. Luscious. Sweet. Warming booze. Just a pleasure to drink. On par with one of the best Barreled Souls’ beers I’ve had, which of course means the same for the wider beer world.

Bottled on 11/27/2020 (bottle # 317 of 1125); consumed on 3/1/2022

Pours a deep, clear ruby hue capped with a finger and a half of fluffy, beige foam; head fades fairly quickly to virtually no cap, a massive, expanding collar, and minimal-no lacing holding to the walls of the glass.

Aromas of dried oak and leather steadily open to bakers cocoa and touches of bourbon vanillins before stewed dark fruits encroaching and largely overtake the middle, culminating with sensations of oatmeal raisin cookie toward the back end and a persistent dark fruit brightness in contrast to the weightier bourbon underpinnings.

Taste opens to cocoa and a more resounding brown sugar upfront, with bourbon dominating the mid-palate as mild roast underscores decadent grape jam; candied figs find hints of vanilla, while leathery smoke is softened with edges of blackberry zest meeting a red berry brightness on the finish.

Mouthfeel offers a medium body with lower-end carbonation, leaving slick textures to a mild grit into creaminess over the mid-palate; drying steadily, a mild-moderate warmth over the back end cuts hints of stickiness while simultaneously coating the palate.

A richer expression of a scotch ale yielding waves of sweet dark fruits against an equally dominant bourbon profile; founded in abject boldness, this hyperfocused take on the style offers an intensity matched only in contrast by its resultant lack of overall nuance.

Sampling a cellar temp 500 ml bottle poured into my snifter. Picked up at the brewery in October, been in my cellar since then. Bottled date 11/27/2020.
the beer pours a very dark mahogany color, almost cola brown and next to no light passes through my glass.
Almost no foam to speak of, even after I get more aggressive with the pour halfway through. A continual rising stream of carb in the center of the glass tries to rebuild an island, but it fades away as soon as it hits the surface. Very active and noisy actually!
Aroma is sweet and malt dominant. I get toffee, brown sugar, bourbon notes, a bit of vanilla and dry wood. No hops and only a little bit of fusol booze note here.
First sip reveals a big body and sticky texture, almost syrupy feel. Carbonation is almost non existent and the beer coats my entire palate with sweet sticky feel on each mouthful.
Flavor is sweet malts, I get caramel and brown sugar mixing with some light raisin notes and again a good dose of bourbon and some vanilla. The hops are absent and no booziness or heat here. Still feels like a sipper from the texture.
This beer is big and sweet and could be too much for some, but I really enjoy it and will savor for the rest of the evening. Quite a nice barrel aging impact on this beer!