Toppling Goliath Assassin Whiskey Barrel Russian Imperial Stout

I first got a taste of this last fall, when TG was doing an event at Dexter's Pub in Madison, WI. The brewery crew had a small number of bottles that they were sharing with those in attendance.
Not too long ago, these bottles were finally released at the brewery, and I meant a man, John,  at the Nomad pub who was going to get some (or had already got some, I forgot), and was willing to sell one to me. I told him where he might be able to find me and was still surprised when he showed up at the Harriet Taproom one Wednesday and saw me sitting around, asked "are you Al? Here's your Assassin." I told him that I didn't have $20 on me at the time. "It's okay, I'll get it from you later," he said. The very next afternoon, he arrived at the Blue Nile for his 20. Just like a ninja, …

Toppling Goliath Assassin Vintage 2013 Killer Imperial Stout aged in whiskey barrels. 12.8% ABV. Brewed and bottled by: Toppling Goliath Brewery, Decorah, Iowa.

Dark as the sin as well as the sinners, ninja-black, thin brown head.

Aroma screams out from the glass, spilling out deep, dark aromas, rich whiskey tones…and it's only sitting on the table, I have yet to bring it up to the nose, here we go…man, this has got it all! Thick, sick, overblown amounts of dark rum, maple, molasses, anise, notes of vanilla and cherry, and overpowering, thundering whiskey (forgot what kind, and I haven't peeked at the label yet.). Every kind of amazing whiskey barrel imperial stout is seeping out of this.

Taste: Damn, this is delicious! Starts with big floods of dark fruit and vanilla, coated in thick, slick whiskey tones. Sweet-ish-like, but never too much so. Huge, vast, voluminous flavors, full-body, persistent finish. Stays sweet-like, basking in deep, dark fruit flavors, you raisins, your dates, your plums and prunes, coated in the whiskey,…it's fantastic! Mmmm…love it.

Now, I want to read the label: "After endless hours of scorching in heat,  brewing in  turmoil, fermenting in  angst, the Assassin's  journey has just begun. In the shadow of the temple, he lies in wait, maturing his plot to perfection. He emerges merciless, dominated by darkness, his bite laced with the charred remnants of his victims. No man dares to cross his path. They will forever sleep  with one eye open, in fear of the Assassin's hot kiss of death."

I make a lot of hay with the gobbledygook, but this is one of the good ones. I enjoyed that. It tells the story of the beer, cloaked in this mystic fiction, without going overboard.

I definitely wish I had more bottles, to age them and see what happens in maturation, but I also want to feel what this is like young. You can't appreciate one without the other. Maybe someday I'll taste an aged bottle of this, but for now I know it's damned awesome.

Postal Script: I could not finish the bottle, it was too late/early, and the remains in the glass sat on the night stand, it's wonderful scent giving me pleasant dreams while I slumbered, and the memory of it's wonder was my reward all day long.