Stone Imperial Russian Stout

One of the biggest, boldest Russian Imperial Stouts out there, I'd say. But, wait, Al, you say, isn't it a "Imperial Russian Stout?" I don't know what to tell you there, pal. "Russian Imperial Stout" tells you the style is related to the favor it found in the court of Catherine the Great and her Russian Empire. The way Stone puts it implies it's a stout from Russia, and...I just realized it sounds silly, and doesn't really matter.

But! What else I was gonna tells ya! The first time I had this was in the fall of 2002, bought it in Portland, OR, took it home, wrote notes, and considered it "too much." Found another bottle over a year later and revised my published opinions. Finally bought one at home for the first time, at Chicago-Lake Liquors, and it drinks down like a thick, luscious breeze. Funny how your palate twists and turns, expands and adapts.

Here, now, my December, 2003 notes on the Imperial Stout of Escondido, CA.

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Color is as black as sin, thoroughly opaque, utterly dark, and well-endowed with a full, thick, lush roasty-toasty tan head.

Aroma: Oh, goodness, gracious, golly! Sweetness, rich, lush, chocolatey, and burgeoning with a myriad of further flavors, dates, raisins, anise, molasses, maple syrup, dark, twisted, delicious...I've compared certain other Imperial Stouts to candy bars (Bell's Expedition, to name one, whose glass I drink this from), and this goes a touch beyond that, without testing the boundaries of sweetness. Magnificent.

Taste: No body could be fuller, no taste could be richer, the malt is thick and juicy, even, and the hops keep the tongue busy and happy. A complex melange, a viscous mouthfeel, constant tussel with the palate, insistent pleasure on the tongue.

Now, the thicker, slicker, motor-oliy feel kicks in, but by now, you love it, or you're out. Strength, too, sets it's feelers out and begins to trickle into the feeling and the brain, as well. Sticky and treacly, though dark, and thoroughly delicious, if your tastes run like mine.

It rolls around and around the mouth, washing all the senses with this rich, dark, utterly decadent flavor.

Oh, what dark malts can do, for this flavor is so rich, so thick, so fully flavorful, this is decadence, indeed.
Finish? There ain't none! It just keeps going in the mouth!
Mouthfeel? It is utterly dominant, thoroughly covers every inch of the senses...an amazing beer!

I'm going to close on the note that this is my second bottle of this incredible beer, and second review, for when I first cracked the cap on this monster over 15 months ago, I might not have been prepared for the totality of this experience, despite my past love and appreciation of Imperial Stouts.
Now, later, I acknowledge what an astounding bad boy this one is, and I LOVE IT!!!

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