Dark Skies is, says Stroud Brewery, proudly, the UK’s first ever whiskey barrel-aged organic imperial stout. And it’s very fine indeed.
I love an imperial stout, and this one’s a full-bodied, warming delight, black with red light straying through at the edges, and a thick, foaming tan head.
Rich, fruity, and complex, it offers molasses sweetness, coffee, vanilla, dried dark fruit, a woody edge, and a tinge of whisky. The spirit comes through well on the nose, too. Stroud’s own tasting notes list liquorice in the mix, but I wasn’t picking that up.
Very nicely done, and balanced well, despite its 8% ABV oomph.
