Dark Apparition - Scotch Barrel Aged
Jackie O's Taproom & Brewery

12.7 FL. OZ. bottle
Served in a Jackie O's snifter
2016

This beer pours black and is topped with less than an inch of tan head that leaves little lacing.

The aroma is dark fruit, anise, and a little smoke.

The taste is chocolate, dark fruit, coffee, anise with hints of scotch.

Full bodied with a smooth mouthfeel

I was a bit apprehensive about this variation of Dark App. I am not a big scotch fan. The only other scotch barrel aged beer that I have had was from Stone. The scotch flavor was overwhelming. This beer, however, was great. The flavors were great. The scotch merely added a little smokiness. Another example of greatness from Jackie O's.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stick to whiskey and/or bourbon barrels because the scotch barrel addition isn't doing it for ME.

 

Snifter pour. 2016 bottle. I'm a huge scotch fan so looking forward to this big time

L - Absurdly frothy 2 finger head. Less sticky lacing than I recall other dark apparition variants.

S - it's more muted than expected. I'm having a hard time recognizing genuine scotch. There's maybe a slight peatiness because I'm really looking for it, but it's predominately chocolate, roast, and the signature jackie o's barrel stout sweetness.

T - fuck. It's everything I wanted it to be. I've had quite a few scotch barreled beers and they're all excessively peaty and overpowering (and I like peaty islay scotches). This is so damn balanced between the scotch barrel and the beer I'm blown away. It's not as sweet as other dark app variants (which is a plus), but still the familiar vanilla, toffee, and cream notes of the others. It's woody, and a little musty in a good way. Faint dark fruit in the finish.

F - is mid weight. Not thick, not light. Quite creamy. Heavy alcohol presence just like all other JO's BA beers. It's very, very filling which I'm not in love with.

O - wow. My favorite dark app variant and my favorite jo's beer. Probably also in my top ten all time favorite beers. Shit this is just right. I'm kind of mind blown that this is currently rated 86 / 3.96... but that's fine as long as they keep making it and I can score some more in the future.

375ml bottle poured into a snifter
Bottled 2016

A- pours deep black on color with a one-finger foamy khaki head that reduces to a ring around the edge

S- dark toasted malt gives aromas of dark chocolate, caramel, coffee and dark fruit. The barrel adds a sherry-like aroma, along with some woody oak

T- charred malt up front with some notes of herbal coffee, molasses and caramel. Mid-palate brings out some barrel character, namely a sherry-like sweetness. The finish stays sweet and lingers of oak & char

M- medium body with moderate carbonation leads to a slightly foamy mouthfeel that continues into a bit of a chalky finish

O- curious to what scotch barrels were used with this, as it tastes like sherry, possibly Macallan? An interesting barrel treatment for sure

 

 

500ml bottle poured into a tulip glass

A: small khaki colored head that disappeared pretty quickly. The body is a rich black in color with no light escaping the edges.

S: Leather, oak, burnt roasted malts, a little honey some whiskey notes. a little bit of a cola smell.

T: Almost a little dirt taste. almonds undertones of oak and leather. A little bit of that cola flavor comes out.

M: Medium bodied like a lot of their barrel aged stuff is but with the barrel it's hard to get a robust mouthfeel.

O: it's not my favorite BA beer by them, but I don't like scotch at all so that could be it.