Obscurity
Cartel Brewing & Blending
- From:
- Cartel Brewing & Blending
- Pennsylvania, United States
- Style:
- American Imperial Stout
- ABV:
- 13.8%
- Score:
- +7 ratings needed
- Avg:
- 4.06 | pDev: 14.53%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 2
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- May 15, 2026
- Added:
- Jul 20, 2024
- Wants:
- 0
- Gots:
- 0
NO SCORE
-
-
Imperial Stout aged 24 months in Straight Bourbon Barrels
Recent ratings and reviews.
Reviewed by wmeckley44 from Tennessee
4.52/5 rDev +11.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
4.52/5 rDev +11.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
2023 vintage, on tap at Cartel in Lancaster.
Pours a jet black with shockingly tall mahogany foam. Aroma is dark red fruits and rich dark chocolate, as well as smooth, slightly fruity whiskey. Tons upon tons of whiskey. Flavor is BOURBON UPON BOURBON. Tons of vanilla and just boozy goodness. I get some oak tannins but mostly just the thick vanilla/richness of the alcohol. There's some red fruit as well, stewed plums and dark red raspberry? The base stout seems to trend bitter and very heavy on the unsweetened cocoa, which adds a bite to the back end to balance out the generally smooth bourbon ideas. Feel is lovely, slick and boozy but not completely flat which helps make this very drinkable. ABV totally hidden under the lovely flavors and bitterness. This is incredibly smooth. It's so much liquor/barrel flavor on the front end but the vanilla/chocolate combo gets incredibly good before ending complex, a little drying, a little oaky, and richly chocolatey.
Overall, a great beer. Cartel does tasty stuff, but I think they really are a stout brewery. This is one of the best stouts I've had in a long time. Very complex and interesting with unique barrel character but not hiding a very interesting stout that's aged extremely well.
May 15, 2026Pours a jet black with shockingly tall mahogany foam. Aroma is dark red fruits and rich dark chocolate, as well as smooth, slightly fruity whiskey. Tons upon tons of whiskey. Flavor is BOURBON UPON BOURBON. Tons of vanilla and just boozy goodness. I get some oak tannins but mostly just the thick vanilla/richness of the alcohol. There's some red fruit as well, stewed plums and dark red raspberry? The base stout seems to trend bitter and very heavy on the unsweetened cocoa, which adds a bite to the back end to balance out the generally smooth bourbon ideas. Feel is lovely, slick and boozy but not completely flat which helps make this very drinkable. ABV totally hidden under the lovely flavors and bitterness. This is incredibly smooth. It's so much liquor/barrel flavor on the front end but the vanilla/chocolate combo gets incredibly good before ending complex, a little drying, a little oaky, and richly chocolatey.
Overall, a great beer. Cartel does tasty stuff, but I think they really are a stout brewery. This is one of the best stouts I've had in a long time. Very complex and interesting with unique barrel character but not hiding a very interesting stout that's aged extremely well.
Reviewed by jmdrpi from Pennsylvania
3.23/5 rDev -20.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3
3.23/5 rDev -20.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3
12 oz bottle, sealed with black colored wax
2022 vintage. L
Marked as bottle 92/400
Pours black with foamy tan colored head that fades. Big aroma of boozy oak, overpowers the dark malt. Similar taste, too much wood tanins, not smooth. Fuller bodied.
Jul 20, 20242022 vintage. L
Marked as bottle 92/400
Pours black with foamy tan colored head that fades. Big aroma of boozy oak, overpowers the dark malt. Similar taste, too much wood tanins, not smooth. Fuller bodied.
We love reviews (150 characters or more)! Check out: How to Review a Beer. You don't need to get fancy. Drop some thoughts on the beer's attributes (look, smell, taste, feel) plus your overall impression. Something that backs up your rating and helps others. Thanks!