"Appearance: Ink black with a wonderful light tan lace which leaves rings all the way down the glass.
"Smell: Mildly acidic dark malt twang, a little earthy and some sweetness also.
"Taste: Smooth as silk with a crisp full body to boot. A strong roasted malt flavour pushes everything aside...to make way for a creamy sweetness. There seem to be an hidden earthy undertone throughout...most likely from the Yorkshire yeast. Hop bitterness is vague yet keeps the sweetness in check. A semi dry falls on the palate as soon as the sweetness fades. Dark roasted coffee, over caramelized buttery toffee and dark sweetened chocolate flavours swirl around the tastebuds to make for a bittersweet finish.
"Notes: A cult classic among beer geeks dating back to 1980...let's have a moment of silence in honour of this fine brew...if you want to jump into the world of stouts give this one a try, you might be surprised and actually love it...I did that is for sure." —Jason Alström, BeerAdvocate
"Ruddy brown color. Aromas and flavors of grain husk and chocolate cherry granola nut bar with a chewy, fruity-yet-dry medium-to-full body and a crisp, lavish, perfectly balanced finish. A benchmark for the style." —Beverage Testing Institute
"Balanced and exceptionally smooth, this pours an opaque dark-brown color in the glass, with a glimmer of soft garnet and a dense tan head. Initial aromas of milky oatmeal and whole-grain bread are followed by nuances of sweet spice and dried fruit, almost like cinnamon-raisin bread. The mouthfeel is lush and creamy, but with good carbonation to keep the dense flavors of toasted grain, milk chocolate and lightly roasted coffee from feeling too heavy. Touches of sweet smoke and hop linger on the long finish." —Lauren Buzzeo, Wine Enthusiast Magazine (92 points)
Gold, 2012 World Beer Championships
