Onheilsprofeet DBA Bunnahabain & Bowmore
Jopen Bier BV Haarlem

 

Pours a pitch black coloration with a small, creamy head. Smells of roasted, caramel malt, some peat, heather honey and a sharp scotch note. Taste is dominated by roasted, caramel malt and a sharp, but not too peaty, scotch note, as well as lighter notes of peated smoke, licorice, vanilla, heather honey, red/dark fruit and just a hint of leather and tobacco. Finishes with a light/medium bitterness and some roasted malt and sharp Scotch notes lingering in the aftertaste. Full mouthfeel with a rich body and light/medium carbonation.

This is not quite what I expected, but I guess it makes sense given the barrels used. It just somewhat lacks the intense peat character that I expect from an Islay BA Stout, with a more pronouced honey sweetness and red/dark fruit and vanilla notes, thankfully rounded out by some more interesting notes of licorice, leather and tobacco though. While this grew on me as it warmed, I still feel like the balance could be better, although I also had this rather fresh and it might mellow nicely with some age on it.