The Reserve Morrigan
Barbarian Brewing

Pours oily black, with a tinge of violet along the meniscus. Intentionally still, so this shows off the legs when swirled from the 15% ABV and viscous body. Smell is boozy, cocoa, and tannins, with notes of sherry and minerality. Considerably sweeter than the original Morrigan, thanks to the addition of petit verdot and syrah juice. Prune, baker's chocolate, PX, avocado, honey, and a hint of banana. What a fabulous experiment.

bordering on absurd, but also super well done, i was impressed with this special edition of this huge stout, which has petit verdot and petit syrah grape juice added in, before being aged in red wine barrels and kegged up intentionally still. its boozy sure, but its also very refined, mature, and drinks like a port wine, like it actually tastes and feels like one, i even get the old dusty and walnut properties, some lingering residual sugar that smooths out the booze burn, and quite a lot of grape character through the whole thing, its awesome. super black in color, viscous as they come, and high shine, obsidian looking and still intimidating in the little glass. it smells hot, but it also smells like a mature port, lots of wood, cooked sugar, dark chocolate, tanned leather, and deep roast. i am surprised its not more dark grain driven in the taste, the wine and time in oak transform this, no bitterness from the roast at all, not even really as deep as that espresso note i often get from big dark grain bills like this, instead its more like chocolate cake, some fudge to it, and then the fruit, which retains a grape identity while also distinctly tasting like red wine in here at the same time. some acidity from the grape element is helpful too, cuts through some of the body. i get light smoke, ancient oak, black licorice, plum jam, and again a fine splash of high end port. i like all the body and i think i even like it being still, which usually i dont, but the texture is right for the flavors here. one of the more unique and ambitious i have had from barbarian, which is really saying something, or from any boise brewery for that matter. downright impressive!

This is a 'still' (uncarbed) version of the Morrigan with wine grape juice added and aged in red wine barrels. Tried on-tap at the Garden City taproom.

Pours a viscous inky black with no head nor carbonation. The nose is rich and boozy with red wine characteristics, oaky tannins and dark fruit. Vanilla and caramel sweetness as well. The palate is complex and leans into that wine character, very grape-y. There is a touch of char as well as some minor chocolatey roast character. Smooth, sweet, and boozy with a big body and mouthfeel.