Bourbon Barrel Aged Underground Communique
Blue Island Beer Co.

 

500 ml bottle into a snifter. 2017 edition. Had 7/7/18.

Pours dark and opaque, with a short, quickly dissipating head and some spotty cling. Aromas of fudge, chocolate, malt, oak, toffee, some bourbon, light dates, a little vanilla. The flavor shows more bourbon, then chocolate, malt, vanilla, caramel, some oak. Smooth, a decent full body, well carbonated.

The bourbon barrels are optimized when this is really warm. Very good aromas and flavors. Not complex, but really good. Well worth a purchase at a decent price point.

Had on tap. This was very dark fruit forward, especially raisin, date, and plum, almost to the point of amazement, with bittersweet chocolate, toffee, and coffee backing. Feel was watery for a RIS, and lacked roasted texture, but drank smooth and didn't undercut fruit. Smell was full of the dark fruit and chocolate.

2017 bottle poured into a snifter shows an opaque deep, dark brown, with a slight tinge of red at the edges and only supports a ring of medium sized bubbles. Running spotted lacing.

Inviting and pungent bourbon aroma wafts several feet from the glass. Closer up I detect stone and dried fruit with the bourbon in front of more subtle cocoa, leather and tobacco notes.

Flavors match. Bourbon up front quickly followed by raisin and prune with roasty notes that smelled more like cocoa bean but tastes more like coffee bean. Interesting. I was expecting more booze burn based on the strength of the aroma and flavor, but it barely warms the chest. Probably right where 9.2% should be.

Mouthfeel is full and coats the tongue with creaminess and finishes wet, but slightly gritty.

Overall a really nice beer.