Cigar City Christmas in Ningxia Old Ale

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 9 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 9

Rated Dec. 2010. Growler (2010 batch/treatment) pours up murky mahogany and mocha head. The aroma is assertive with slick rich sweet malts, berry infused molasses, caramel candy and then mixing with boysenberries, coriander spice and some fig / Wolfberries berry earthiness. The taste enters smooth, slippery, thick and rich effortlessly pushing up notes of thick rich malts, boysenberries, prunes and molasses with a hint of chocolate. By midway a sliver of earthiness and then caramel candy join in and head toward the finish with the addition of a modest amount of smooth coriander spice. The finish leaves caramel candy, molasses, muted pine hop flavor and earthy fig like berry notes (making no sense whatsoever). Make no mistake, this is a very sweet rich and also (did I mention it was) sweet(?) brew.