FiftyFifty 2011 Imperial Eclipse Stout - Brewmaster's Grand Cru

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

22 oz bottle, number 1674. Pours dark brown black with a thin bubbly tan head that quickly goes to a thin collar that leaves a little lacing.

The aroma is roasted fudgy chocolate malts, black licorice and a little bourbon.

The flavor is huge - lots of roast chocolate malts, black licorice, some sweet honey and quite a bit of booze with a bitter alcohol finish. The mouthfeel is medium bodied with low carbonation.

Overall, it's a huge flavorful beer. It's quite bit over the top especially in the alcohol, but I enjoyed drinking it.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 10 | Mouthfeel: 10 | Flavor: 10 | Overall: 9

Mind.....blown! One of the most impressive beers I've had over the past year. Jet black, viscous pour with a filmy dark brown head and splotchy lacing. Abundant aroma and asserertive flavor caress the senses, it's impossible not to smile while sipping on this exceptional offering. Rounded smoothness with a creamy malt body, both filling and satisfying. Sturdy and complex. Barrel aging done to near perfection while allowing the dark malt flavors to shine through.

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 9 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 9

Wow - this tremendous. Copper waxed bottle served at 55 degrees into two snifters. The pour is midnight black with very little carbonation, the onlly flaw I caught. The aroma is earthy with notes of bourbon, wood, and molasses. The taste is unreal - a blend of oak and vanilla and a touch of brandy. The mouthfeel is creamy and lends to the blend well. I agree with the other reviewer, this is an unheralded Eclipse but superior to the Rittenhouse and 12 yr. Elijah Craig as it has added complexity. Love it and recommend it highly.

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

Another one out of the park in the Eclipse line. Ridiculous complexity! Very nearly as good as the best I've ever had in this line, and that's saying a lot. Waffling between 4.4 and 4.5. The blend has to have brandy in there somewhere, cause there is more going on than in any previous batch. Dark fruit, chocolate, cofee, vanilla, honey, obvious and various barrel influences. So stinkin smooth. Great beer!