Flying Monkeys Matador Imperial IPA

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

Big bottle in a box from the LCBO. Cedar aged... interesting. Pours a hazy golden-amber colour with a frothy warm cap, good retention and lots of dirty lacing. Aromas of dark fruits over the pine hop notes and nutty hints. This seems to comes from the cedar wood which comes out after breathing. This seems to calm the hops. Goes down too well for 10% ABV. Just a mild warming. The bitterness is nice overall. Mild pine flavours, grapefruits and orange zest. All very well-balanced and a nice touch with the cedar showing in the nose. A real good twist on the Imperial IPA.

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

Pours a clear light coppery colour. Dense white head reduces to a cap and leaves lots of lacing. Aroma is like being surrounded by empty orange crates. Flavour has a hint of caramel malt, cedar, peppery spice, cedar, grapefruit, cedar, pine, tobacco, slightly floral and more cedar. Mouthfeel is medium-full and a bit sticky. Dry very long lasting flavour. Different from most Impy Ipa’s because of the dominant woody flavour. Would like to give this to a Bud Lite drinker and watch their facial expressions after the first gulp.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 8

Opened after purchasing over 6 months ago. Pours a thick average size frothy, off-white head. Has a slightly dull amber/copper appearance. Aromas of bitter resin and spiced hops as well as some sweet, bready malts. Nothing too overpowering though. Has a very rich and mouthcoating flavour of spiced hops and earthy type hops, fairly bitter and strong citrus hops, quite tangy. Has a little bit of the oak-aged feel. Peppery notes. Somewhat smokey. Amarillo hops sorta noticeable. This one really warms up your throat going down and doesn't let up, and not in an offensive way. Slick creamy mouthfeel. Full bodied. The alcohol is very well hidden. The aged on Spanish cedar part really makes no difference to me. Still pretty damn good stuff!

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 8

Bottle: The pour is not too impressive – well filtered deep gold, but a nice meringue cap. Moderate carbonation. The aroma is typical Pac NW IPA with citrus, floral, pine and big malts, some alcohol. The flavour is this beer’s redeeming factor , yes big malts, yes, big hops but the cedar flavor is there, and damn if it doesn’t compliment the hop profile perfectly both flavours running parallel. Rich finish with increased bitterness and a nice warming. Great offering from this brewer.