Silver Series: Oenotropae Madeira BA
Pühaste Brewery

Pours an opaque, pitch-black coloration with a medium, creamy, mocha-colored head. Smells of caramel, slightly roasted malt, chocolate and dark fruit, with notes of raisin and plum, as well as hints of licorice and tannic oak. Taste is a great balance of caramel, slightly roasted malt and strong notes of milk chocolate and dark fruits, with notes of raisin, plum and red grape, as well as lighter toffee and licorice, with just a hint of coffee and quite tannic oak as well. Finishes with a medium sweetness and some chocolate, dark fruit and tannic oak lingering in the aftertaste. Full mouthfeel with a rich body and low/medium carbonation.

While this is not quite to my personal taste, I think that this achieves what it makes out to do rather well. The Madeira barrels are certainly evident here, imbuing the beer with some rather sweet, fruity and tannic, woody notes, although a bit to sweet for me. This styles itself as an Imperial Wine Stout and it certainly works that way, bringin gto mind a sweet, fortified wine with strong notes of raisin, plum and red grapes. The light roasted malts, coffee and licorice act as a balancing agent here, preventing this from becoming quite too sickly sweet, while I do appreciate those tannic, woody notes, but the overall flavor profile is just not for me, despite making for a fine example of a Madeira BA stout, I reckon.