Mikkeller Black Tie

Mikkeller Black Tie, Imperial Stout Brewed with Honey and Aged in Scotch Whiskey Barrels. Mikkeller Black Tie is an elegant and generous imperial stout. This beer has benefited (sic) from aging in barrels. Crafted with the finest craftsmanship for the pleasure of the connoisseur. 11.5% Alc/Vol." 500 ml bottle, brewed and bottled by Mikkeller at Nogne-O, Grimstad, Norway.

High anticipation. This had better be good. But, of course, Mikkeller has never really let me down, before.

Blackest black, with a thick, full, rich roasted brown head, bubbly, lacy, beautiful. killer diller. This shows great promise.

Aroma: huge. The Scotch barrel really comes through, in fact, it's practically jumping out. Scotch whiskey, with imperial stout flavors hiding below. Impressed, so far.

Taste: Dark chocolate, molasses, …and boom! Scotch! Honey, though advertised, isn't tasted, and perhaps was used for fermentation. That whiskey flavor is dominant, though, and takes over every aspect of the brew.

And…I don't think it works. Maybe an imperial stout is not the best match for the Scotch barrel. Maybe it could have been married with an old ale, or an IPA, but it's not meshing, only clashing. This is one of those "who put chocolate in my peanut butter?" beers. It tastes like someone poured a dram of Dewar's in what might have been a great imperial stout, but I can't tell, the flavors have been utterly smothered and swallowed.

I paid too much for this, but I just had to try it. It seems so promising! Bourbon barrel-aging an imperial stout is very good. Scotch barrel=aging? Misfire!

You know what, though? Halfway in, it's mellowing, and I'm digging it a little better. I almost want to take back what I wrote moments ago, but that would be false, for the forefront matters, and initial impressions are important. Now, currently, the bittersweet, malty flavors of an imperial stout are catching up with the Scotch, maybe even overtaking it. Is it perhaps sliding to the background? Maybe it is!

And it is becoming more mellowing, more relaxing, more elegant, more of what is advertised on that paper wrapped around the bottle. Perhaps aging could help make this better in the front and closer to what I'm tasting now?

Right now, this is delicious. Bitter, sweet, vanilla and honey, espresso and chocolate, with whiskey running under. Mmmm. My faith is restored, you Danes and Norwegians. Good work. Just remember: give it time.