Vanquish
Counterpart Brewing

500 ml was-sealed bottle from Durand. 2024 rendition. Imperial Stout aged 37 months in a blend of Booker's and Willett Bourbon Barrels and conditioned on Ghanaian Cacao nibs, Madagascar vanilla beans, espresso coffee and Ceylon cinnamon. Served cool into a chalice.

Appearance - Black as black gets with a small thin wisp of a very deep brown head. Thick and slick from the bottle.

Smell - Excellent depth of aroma. Beautiful blend of coffee, chocolate and vanilla. Some booziness and bourbon leaking through, with a woody and earthy aspect. The chocolate pops and reminds me of a high quality chocolate powder. Cinnamon accent to close.

Taste - Wow. Flavor packed punch. Loads of chocolate with some coffe roastines sinterspersed. Vanilla shines through in the most complementary way. Wood and bourbon on the back end and even a trace of grape. Cinnamon through and combined with the vanilla make for a delightful treat. Layered flavoring. Even at 27 proof, the booze has really mellowed out and not sharp at all.

Mouthfeel - Thick and slick, low carbonation and really full bodied. Slick and mouth covering finish that sticks the flavor but doesn't not feel cloying at all.

Overall - Spectacular imperial stout, probably the best new beer of the year for me (so far) and just a treat. 500mls may be too much for one go given the richness and intensity of flavors, but perfect for sharing (or just sipping over 2-3 hours).