Mouth of Madness (Red Wax)
Mortalis Brewing Co.

Spurting out of the bottle, though thankfully not for too long, pour is starkly matte black with an obviously overactive tan head.

Sweet but balanced yet bold, barleywine and stout characteristics push and pull here.

Deep, dark abyss of a pour. Almost zero agitated head buildup.

The nose has a beautiful complexity. Getting notes of treated leather, stewed fruits, and Charleston Chews. To follow hits more on figs and overcooked caramel, trailing with an oaky aggression.

The palate, while bringing components from the nose, also does great to contrast with a bit more richness. Notes of chocolate bread pudding, malted milk balls, and bourbon vanilla creme brûlée lead into whiskey-soaked oak and a touch of astringent bitterness on the tail.

Mouthfeel is perfect. Full but not syrupy, and while heavy is still cut with just enough carbonation. On the finish is good length, medium bitterness, and a good bit of heat.

All I like about a stout/barleywine cuvée: Sweet, but held in check with the dark base. This is technically a triple barrel aged drink across two styles, and it’s super. The Bacchus barleywine leads with sweetness and a strong Black Button presence. The aroma is a bit subdued, but the flavor complexity pulls no punches. It’s heavy, but not gritty or earthy, which Heaven Hill can do IMO. The Willet rye is not as pronounced as the Black Button, but that is ok for how it fits the barleywine. I wish I had more now. Mortalis indicates against aging, but many of these non-adjuncts beasts will surely hold up and improve over time. Dogfish Head WWS at ten years is the pinnacle of non-BA stout age. If I could hold on that long to a Mortalis, I could offer a better assessment of time to burn down the residual sugars.