The Abyss 2015 Reserve
Deschutes Brewery

Pours black with no real head and what is there dissipates quickly and little no lacing.

Taste up front heavy malts, licorice and dark fruits with a hint of oak and char. Very smooth and creamy feel that coats your mouth and lingers well into the finish. A very nice offering.

 

Deep, dark brown pour, semi-opaque; one-finger thick head, long lasting, light tan color. The aroma starts off with stale white oak notes (mild oxidation?) but then levels out to cocoa and chocolate infused with anise and bourbon. The taste waivers between well-balanced malt flavors and bourbon to very strong whiskey notes and cocoa; dark chocolate and black licorice; boozy. Heavy body; somewhat sludgy and palate coating (in a good way); plenty of boozy warmth.

I'm fairly sure I've had this before (and likely confused it with 'regular' Abyss from this year. Then again, I could be completely wrong and foolish. Anyway, I appreciate this bottle from Mark. I recall the 2015 Abyss to be really good. This one may be showing some age with possible oxidation and such yet still has depth and complexity. I will say it has an almost hot bourbon character to it. How this would compare to the year it was released to no is beyond my ken. Still, a fine experience for a beer of 8-9 years of age.

Pouring temperature: 50 °F; bottling info: BEST AFTER 12/08/16
Source: beer trade w/@MutuelsMark

Pulled this bottle from my personal 'cellar' in January 2024, so roughly 8 1/2 years old.
Color is as expected, black as ink or tar. Still retained its carbonation that created a darker brown head about 2 inches thick. Nose was chocolate, char and some coffee. Had a nice warmth from the higher ABV. Great tasting beer still.

2015 reserve poured from a black-waxed 22oz bomber into a half pint glass. pours dense and oily black with a finger of dark brown foam. to me this is quite hoppy on the nose. i do get roasted malts, light chocolate and dark fruits but i still get a lot of pine. taste is a little more balanced. chocolate and dark fruit with molasses and light oak. thick mouthfeel. this is good. fairly complex. nice roast and bitterness to it, some oak presence and chocolate-drizzled dark fruit. nice.

 

2015 vintage Poured from a bottle into a snifter
Appearance – The brew pours a pitch-black color with a small head of tan colored foam. The thickness of this 12.2 % abv is well appreciated just by looking at it with a thick viscous nature upon pouring. Following the pour the tan head fades moderately quickly, leaving a small amount of streaky lace on the sides of the glass.
Smell – The aroma is big and bold overall. It has a strong showing of coffee and roasted malt mixed with sweetness of molassas and brown sugar. Aromas of cherry and raisin as well as some char and smoke are in there as well, accentuating the dark aroma. With these smells also comes notes of leather and a bit of earth, along with a big showing of vanilla and crème. Subtle notes of a spiced rum like smell and a touch of
Taste – The taste begins as the nose would have suggested with a big dark taste of roasted malt and coffee mixed with a decent showing of sweetness with flavors of caramel, brown sugar, and molasses being rather bold. Other dark fruit flavors of cherry and raisin add to the sweetness all while a bit of vanilla melds nicely with the coffee and the dark. As the taste advances some cocoa comes onto the scene all while the booziness becomes more prevalent, nicely mixing with some woody tastes to add a nice warming dimension. This leads to the addition of some flavors of licorice and smoke joining in, adding even more darkness to the flavor, and with a slight decrease in the sugar tastes, one is left with a warming and roasty taste to linger on the tongue.
Mouthfeel – The body of the brew is moderately thick and creamy with a carbonation level that is lower. From the look of the brew, I was expecting something with more chewiness, but actually was surprised to find it more moderate. That said the moderate nature of the body does well for the somewhat boozy nature of the taste at the end, allowing the dark and boozy to not be too overwhelming.
Overall – A fantastic brew!! Aged for nearly 8 years it has held up very well. Dark and deep without being overly sweet. Well balanced for such a big stout. Well done.

22 oz. Bomber
2015 Reserve
Best After: 12/08/16

Poured into a chalice a black color, very nice carbonation, with a very nice one-finger creamy tan head, which leaves some small islands and some sticky lacing behind. The nose is malty, roasty, slight licorice, slight vanilla, very nice chocolate/toffee. The taste is absolutely delicious malty, sweet, very nice touch of chocolate/toffee, slight licorice, dark fruits, very very slight touch of bourbon/wine/oak. Full body, ABV hidden very well, goes down very smoothly, with a slight dry finish. Overall, this is an exceptional brew, even over the years. Glad to see it available to me.

 

On-draught @ Deschutes:

High B / GOOD