Sierra Nevada Barrel-aged Narwhal Imperial Stout

Sierra Nevada Barrel-aged Narwhal Imperial Stout.

11.9% ABV. 50 IBU. Sierra Nevada Brewing, Chico, CA (& elsewhere).

Full ebony appearance,  complete opacity, slim brown ring commands the top. 

In the nose: Coffee and cocoa start it off, with more associations to follow. Dark malts, dark fruits, a touch of vanilla. A whiff of smoke. 

In the mouth: Thick. Rich. Big sweet, but met with balancing bitter. Viscous texture. Cocoa and coffee again lead the charge, with hints of cherries, vanilla, whiskey. Dark fruits, dates, cherries, fig, some smoke, tobacco, leather. Yum. Even, a dum dum. Full and rich and mellowing. High ABV kicks in right away and slows everything down. Whiskey gets larger on the palate, sweet and bitter continue their interplay, and the booze hangs high. Dark, deep, delicious. 

In earlier days, this would be bottled with a high price tag. I'm glad this was released as a 4-pack of 16 ounce cans for, what was it, $17? If this is the format to follow, I'm all for it. 

Barrel-Aged Narwhal is our deliciously dark Imperial Stout aged in Kentucky bourbon barrels. Barrel aging is a strange science; it mellows some characteristics of the original beer while intensifying others. Narwhal’s aggressive roastiness has calmed, but the rich, chocolate-like malt backbone is brought to the fore. Black as midnight, this intense stout is complex with notes of cocoa and espresso balanced with hints of vanilla and toasted coconut from the oak casks. Nearly as rare as it’s nautical namesake, try Barrel-Aged Narwhal while you can because like the creature itself, it will soon dive into the depths and leave nary a trace behind.