Rey Gordo (2017 - 2020)
Cruz Blanca Brewpub

 

 

500 ml bottle into a snifter. 2017 edition, had 11/23/19.

Pours near black and opaque, with a quarter inch foamy head and some foamy lacing. Aromas of chocolate, cocoa, marshmallow, bourbon, oak, tobacco, prunes, molasses, malt, raisins, some char, light brandy and rum. Smells terrific. Flavors of bourbon, chocolate, malt, some brandy, tobacco, oak, char, prunes, cocoa, some raisins, light rum, a bit of a fruity taste overall. Sweet, but not cloying. Smooth, a very good full body, well carbonated.

This is really well done. The bourbon barrels star with the brandy barrels giving a good measure of support. Terrific aromas, great flavors, very enjoyable.

 

 

 

a really cool big stout here aged in rum barrels from barbados, an awesome beer to end a killer session here with good friends. this place is really special, super under the radar still in terms of beer it seems, but definitely worth a visit! this beer is big and silky and packed with dark brown sugar and molasses notes from the rum barrels, which really give this beer a cool desserty character without the use of any played out adjuncts, which i really dig. its near black, leggy and viscous, and holds a decent mocha colored head on it for what it is. lots of sweetness in the nose, burnt sugar, toffee, raisin, fig, its rich and its full of cocoa notes from the dark grain as well. the flavor has some good bitter balance though, some deep roasty espresso and a darker side of chocolate thats earthy enough to balance some of the sweet, i also get a mild peppery thing, and plenty of oak to soften the alcohol. it gets hot still as it warms, but its no monster on the palate. its layered and nuanced and professionally refined, really mature, and has taken on a ton of the rum flavor from the barrel treatment, exactly what we all wanted it to be. smooth and fluffy feeling, not dense and chewy, heavy still, but in a lively sort of way, enormously sweet at the end. huge personality on this one, really glad we elected to get this one to close it down. had a blast here, loved their beer and food, cant wait to go back!