Silver Series: Extremum Fato Rye Whiskey BA
Pühaste Brewery

Blind-tasted apart from the country, beer's name and ABV%. Wax dipped top, looks interesting....
L- Pours completely black with a fleeting ultra-dark tan foam cap that's swiftly just a thin ring of bubbles - no surprise considering the ABV%.
S- Ohhhh Mama! (I mumble to myself in surprise). A big Fato whisky note with soft cocoa following beneath.
T- Soft cocoa on the front, evolves rapidly via a chocolate-liquor middle into an outright whisky note in the finish. I imagine there might be lactose here, it has a creamy aspect to it.
F- Pretty full on! I'd start this cold, it's notably rich and too heavy to rush. So by the time you've sipped through it it might have warmed beyond ideal.
O- A thumping whisky barrel aged Imperial Stout. Polished, heavy, suited to cold months and slow-sipping. It is sweetening as it warms a touch and it's too heavy to rush - maybe a good beer to share the bottle?
330ml bottle. Bought from Trembling Madness (York) for home delivery. £8.25. BB: 22/03/2026 Batch: 351

 

 

 

Pours a pitch-black coloration with a small, creamy, mocha-colored head. Smells of slightly roasted and caramelly malt, some coffee and chocolate, as well a hints of coconut, vanilla, licorice, oak and a certain, slightly odd flowery accent. Taste is a great balance of slightly roasted and caramelly malt, coffee, chocolate and lighter coconut, vanilla and licorice, as well as hints of peppery spice, stone fruit, bourbon-soaked oak and a certain flowery note. Finishes with a medium bitterness and some coffee, chocolate, coconut and vanilla lingering in the aftertaste. Full mouthfeel with a rich body and light&medium carbonation.

I had very high expectations of this and while it initially left me a little bit disappointed, it kinda grew on me as it warmed. There is this slightly odd flowery presence to this that probably stems from the coffee variety more than anything else, although hops could also play a part here, which is quite unpleasant in the nose, but not nearly as bad on the tongue. Apart from that though, this makes for a rather rich and complex Imperial Stout with a great depth of flavor, as well as a good barrel-presence and full mouthfeel. I really like the combination of roasted, bitter and spicy notes here, balanced nicely against some sweeter accents, while I could have really done without that certain flowery presence though, which kinda prevents the beer from really coming together for me personally. It still makes for an enjoyable, rich and complex brew, but I kinda wish that a different coffee variety had been used here.