Palo Santo Marron
Dogfish Head Craft Brewery

Bottled on 02/02/16

Pours dark brown near black with a light brown tan foam head. At 9 years aged right now it smells oxidized and boozy like a fortified wine, a little smoky almost meaty, roasted, robust, malty sweet, toasty, dark caramel, blackstrap molasses, Palo Santo wood with a slight baking spice character to it, hints of vanilla, dark dried fruit, figgy raisins, dates, plum, some dark berry, and mild earthy hops still prevalent. The taste follows similarly, smooth, slightly sweet, rich and malty, definitely oxidized like a boozy old barleywine. Big dark dried fruit notes, fig, raisin, dates, prune, plum, dark berry, grape, blackstrap molasses, caramels, toasted brown bread, dark roasty malts, hint of vanilla, aged wood, baking spices, and mild earthy grassy hops. Maybe small hints of cardboard-esque oxidation in it, overall not too bad though for almost 10 years aged. Mouthfeel is a bit oily and slick, medium light bodied, smooth with fairly low carbonation. Overall a nice imperial brown ale aged in Palo Santo wood.

Dark, deep, complex and, alluring. Truly unique and spectacular richness of aroma, taste, and body.
At a recent Doom Saloon tasting of over 20 bottles of all shapes, sizes, and styles, this one stood out as one of the best and most memorable.
The Doom Crew concurs, it is, indeed something akin to 'holy,' and wholly "unfettered."

RB transfer

On draught at the DogFish Head Ale House.
A dark pour with a decent head, no lacing.
A rich sweet, creamy brew. I’m surprised they didn’t call it an imperial on the beet list I’m looking at.
Caramelized malt, vanilla, raisin, prunes, muddled fruit, and molasses flavors all come to mind, the wood/barrel aging seems to add complexity and impart a bourbon flavor in the beer.
The richness and slight booziness seem to mask the bitterness on the finish somewhat.
A very good, smooth Brown Ale.

12oz bottle sent my way by @jzeilinger
Poured into a Prairie Belgian-style tulip
Been quite a few years since I've had this and pumped to revisit!

P deep mahogany/black w/ a small tan cap
N med to med bold blend of spices, vanilla, and dark sugars; inviting
T absolutely delicious profile of molasses/ cinnamon/ nutmeg, vanilla, dark sugars, bready malt, and barrel; complex yet cohesive
Mf full-bodied, smooth, and moderately creamy
O really happy to have revisited this one- amazing stuff; thanks again, J!!

Review date: 07.23.25
Bottle date: not captured

 

Dark brown color; small, beige head. The aroma of malt, caramel, vanilla, and wood. Sweet malty taste with notes of roasted caramel, vanilla, dark fruits, and a hint of alcohol. Good, dessert beer.

Really a great ale….i’m stocking up, thinking it will handle some aging.
Very very sophisticated for the price point…a real sipper…utterly mystified why there are still cases of this sitting in the shop in Milton.
A true classic in the DFH style of innovation….if you see it on the shelf in your local, grab some.

 

One of the real classics from DFH - I wish they had this one available more! Deep complex notes do a good job of masking the high abv. A little sweet on the finish.

 

 

Pours quietly, the deepest darkest of browns; vigorous pour leads to a thick creamy brown dense head, good retention; swirling revives dense super creamy looking thick cap.

Nose is all sort of different things; rich roast and molasses like, littered with unique woody character, some booze, vanilla, woody spice character, somewhat cedar like but different, more stickiness to it.

The taste is very rich and again, booze ; fudge like comes to mind but there really isn’t much, if any chocolate; more of a super roast presence but creamy vanilla like molasses flavor, so smoothed out; unique and sticky spice character before a beautiful mix of everything in a long lingering aftertaste.

Big mouthfeel; luscious immediately comes to mind, lower carbonation adds to this feeling; lightly sticky on the finish and surprisingly unboozie; incredibly rich but not sweet in any way; you get very light chest warmth and that’s about it, light roast bitterness, some how remarkably easy to drinking…beware.

 

This beer was their second best dark beer offering to me. Only the bourbon cask aged rendition was better. I’m really sad they stopped brewing this one.

 

Although no longer brewed, I’m compelled to rate from memory.
I’ve had this fabulous elixir on tap and in bottles, yes, stood in front of the palo santo wood barrel at the brewery too.
One of the best and most unique beers I’ve ever had. Savored even. It will continue to be missed.