Hand & Seal (Cognac Barrel)
Brooklyn Brewery

oh did i get lucky to get this one shared with me, a definite rarity, especially at this point. an absurd beast of a barleywine, and a heck of a way to end a quality session, this thing is a menace. pouring a sleepy murky butterscotch color, with a little patchy head on it, but pretty still, mature looking, intimidating in its mellowness. aroma of heavy oak and booze, but im not right away getting the cognac on it. instead i end up with more of a sweet malty richness, cake batter, vanilla, desserty bread, maple, and honey. the wood is strong in the taste, but the cognac lags a little there too, like the malt flavor and intensity is so strong the perhaps more refined and maybe subtle cognac is covered up in this cozy blanket of sweet cereal porridge and vanilla. i guess i get a touch of it if i force it, but its not like the bourbon one. its immediately heavy too, hard to drink swiftly or in any considerable volume, the booze is warm but not offensive, its the malt weight and sugar that gets me. toffee and honey in the finish, maybe some wheat, it has a ton of character, but is almost still in the feel, which adds to its enormity. fun beer to share, and definitely a hard one to come by, but honestly, the normal hand and seal was a superior beverage in my humble opinion...