Ballast Point Black Marlin Porter (Whiskey Barrel Aged)

Aroma: 4 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

Dispensed carefully into my tulip glass, this beer is topped by a frothy, initially one-finger thick, dusty, light brown colored head that never quite stops covering the top of this beer. The beer shows a brilliantly clear, chocolate brown color as I pour it, but sits in the glass a deep brown, almost black color. The aroma is interesting, it is not nearly as barrel influenced as I thought it might be, but it is clearly influenced by the oak & whiskey; notes of vanillin, a mellow-yet-spicy oak character and a sourish whiskey note are definitely noticeable. Dark malt aromatics reside underneath the barrel character; at times notes of toasty malt, browned biscuits, touches of chocolate and even some coffee-like aromatics are noticeable.

This has a fairly light mouthfeel to it, which is only worth mentioning as most barrel aged beers are alcohol monsters, and this most definitely is not. The beer is lightly tart (from the dark malts, though perhaps accented by whiskey notes) up front. In the finish, after the beer has left my mouth, I get an interesting flavor melange of sweet whiskey, cherries and chocolate. The barrel character is quite well held in check, it is not nearly as overwhelming as it could be in this standard strength Porter. The oak provides a touch of woodiness, some tannic structure and a distinct spiciness. The whiskey flavors are fairly subtle, but, in combination with the oak, provide some sharpness and a bit of hot character to this beer. Standard Porter flavors contribute here, but definitely are secondary to the somehow subtle barrel notes; this is a bit confusing of course. As the beer warms, a dusty, toasty, yet distinctive, malt character becomes much more noticeable; chocolate, smooth roast malt and lots of toasted flavors are apparent. Even the body picks up a bit more heft and starts to have a light creamy feel to it.

Putting a regular strength beer in a whiskey barrel is an interesting concept; this one was done quite well as the barrel character could have easily dominated this beer. Having said that, I probably would prefer if this beer were a little stronger / richer and definitely maltier. Still this is a tasty brew, one which I am quite happy to be drinking right now. Allowing the beer to warm a bit definitely improves the balance of this beer.