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

500 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. Brewed 15.2.2007, BB date 15.2.2009. ABV is 7.5%. Black beer, huge chocolate brown coloured head. Lovely aroma of coffee, chocolate and roasted malts / roasted barley. Also notes of woodwork, tobacco and tar. The flavour abounds with coffee (maybe too much?), the finish is very bitter (both from the coffee that has been added to the beer, the roasted barley and the hops). The mouthfeel is still relatively smooth. With all the dominant coffee and bitterness, this is not a stout of the "easy drinking" kind, but a beer to savour and sip slowly, be it for breakfast or any time of the day or night.

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

Bottle, RBNAG 2009 in Vatlandsvåg. Black colour, low head. Lovely but fairly moderate aroma of whisky cask (oak), vanilla and coffee, hints of dark chocolate and alcohol too. The flavour has distinct notes of alcohol, smooth whisky and coffee, warming mouthfeel. An enjoyable brew.

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

500 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. Brewed by Mikkeller at Nøgne Ø, Norway. Batch #418, ABV is 10.9%. Pitch black colour, huge chocolate brown head. Lovely aroma of dark roasted malts, coffee and chocolate, hints of dark fruits. Intense flavour of coffee (can’t say if the "weasel" coffee was worth the price, though), also a massive malty sweetness and a solid roasty and hoppy bitterness, lasting through the long aftertaste. Not for sissies.

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

Bottle, courtesy of Nøgne Ø representative at "Onsdag i Annen", Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. Pitch black colour, moderate tan head. Lovely aroma of bourbon oak cask/barrel with notes of vanilla, coffee and dark chocolate. The flavour has strong notes of vanilla, coffee and dark chocolate. Overall brilliant!

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

Bottle, RBNAG 2009 in Vatlandsvåg. Black colour, low brown head. Intense peaty, salty and smoky aroma of Islay whisky cask. The flavour has intense notes of peat, salt, smoke and tar, also notes of strong coffee and alcohol.

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

Shared bottle, at local tasting. ABV 7.5%. Black colour, large beige head. Typical American IPA aroma, piney and resinous notes, hints of catpiss. Moderate coffee notes. Roasty flavour, strong coffee notes, also plenty of resinous hops.

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

On tap at Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. Hazy deep golden to amber colour, low white head. Lovely fruity and spicy aroma, notes of brown kandij sugar, hints of tobacco. The flavour is fairly spicy with a substantial fruity and malty sweetness, not quite as light bodied (for its strength) as some other triples are, has a distinct presence of hops and alcohol. Interesting and quite good.

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

375 ml green "champagne" bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 12.0%. Cloudy dark reddish brown colour, big to moderate off-white to beige head. Strong and intense sweetish aroma of dark malts, brown sugar and caramel, hints of oak and fortified wine. The flavour is very sweet and malty, with the same elements as the aroma - but it barely escapes the "cloying" category by a partial balance of American hops (Nugget, Cascade and Centennial). Not an "easy drinking" beer, but who expects a barley wine to be? A great "sipping beer", on a day when your "sweet tooth" needs to be satisfied.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 5 | Flavor: 5 | Overall: 5

375 ml green bottle (no blue wax, but clearly labeled Islay Edition), courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 17.5%. Pitch black colour, minimal brown head. Strong aroma of smoke, tar, salt water, iodine and roasted barley. Extremely sweet and roasty flavour with notes of peat smoke and molasses. Too extreme for me.

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

250 ml bottle, shared with Ole_R, thx! ABV was 13.0%. Imperial stout stored 5 months in a whisky barrel, simply called "Mikkeller Black As Night". Pitch black colour, brown head that does not last very long. Nice roasty aroma, notes of coffee, tar, oak and liquorice. Intense oaky, roasty and very sweet flavour, alcohol is noticeable but not as much as expected. Long and bitter aftertaste.

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

375 ml green bottle (black foil top), courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 17.5%. Pitch black colour, low brown head. Intense aroma of fusel alcohols, roasted barley, sweetish malts, molasses and oak. Extremely sweet and roasty flavour, notes of oak / cognac barrels. Far out on the weird side, but GOOD - in a perverted way.

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

375 ml "champagne" bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 13.1%. The beer is pitch black, impenetrable for light (hence the name). Nice brown head. Intense aroma of malts, alcohol, coffee, burnt sugar and vanilla. The flavour is intense and overwhelming: an aggressive malty sweetness, backed up by honey and dark sugars, with distinct notes of roasted barley (but not quite as extreme in that respect as I expected ), the coffee is distinct, and the vanilla is also noticeable. Distinct hoppy bitterness in the finish. Warming mouthfeel. This is a "sipping beer", to be savoured slowly - definitely not a "refreshment beer". Not for the squeamish or faint hearted.

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

500 ml bottle, from Voldby Købmandsgård. Batch #427. ABV is 11.5%. Pitch black colour, huge chocolate brown head. Strong roasty aroma with notes of coffee and tar, also notes of peaty smoke (from the whisky barrel, obviously - and the smoked malts), hints of sea water, dark dried fruits and oak, some vinous notes too. The flavour is extremely intense, loads of tar, very strong coffee, oak and smoke. The honey is barely noticeable. Quite bitter, with an ashy finish. Not for the faint of heart.

Aroma: 10 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 6 | Overall: 7

375 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 17.5%. Pitch black colour, large brown head. Very malty and sweetish aroma, roasty, strong notes of whisky, vanilla and oak. Intense roasty and very sweet flavour, notes of strong coffee, whisky and vanilla. Alcohol burn throughout. Too much of the good stuff.

Aroma: 3 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 6

330 ml can, as Mikkeller Blanche de Mikkeller Witbier. ABV is 5.0%. Moderately hazy golden colour, large to moderate white head. Disappointing aroma of dust and stale jam. The flavour is better, citric with some acidity, orange peel and coriander seeds, noticeable hops.

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

330 ml can, from BilkaToGo, Skalborg. ABV is 6.0%. The hop varieties are not mentioned on the can. Slightly hazy pale golden colour, moderate to small white head. Aroma of citrus, yellow stonefruits, tropical fruits, pine and spruce. Light bodied for its strength. The flavour is not too sweet, but has the same elements as the aroma, citrus and sprucetips up front. Moderate bitterness.

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

330 ml bottle, Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 5.0%. Deep golden colour, large white (or slightly off-white) head. Wonderful aroma of fruity American hops, notes of apricots and tropical fruits, hints of pine too. The flavour is distinctly hoppy throughout, again with said fruity and piney notes, but never too bitter. Not sweet, but has still enough malts to support the hops. Extremely refreshing and likeable.

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

330 ml can, as Mikkeller Burst IPA, from BilkaToGo, Skalborg. ABV is 5.5%. Nearly clear pale golden colour, large to moderate white head. Aroma of citrus, ripe yellow stonefruits, pineapple and mango. Citric flavour, also hints of other said fruits but not sweet, also sprucetips. Decent bitterness. Good beer, refreshing.

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

375 ml bottle, kindly shared by Ole_R. ABV was 14%. Pitch black colour, low brown head. Lovely roasty and vinous aroma, notes of calvados and blackcurrants. Extremely sweet and very roasty flavour, notes of liquorice, dark cherries and dark chocolate, distinct hoppy bitterness and tar in the finish. Alcohol is noticeable. Combined with the strong flavour elements, this leaves the impression that the beer is even stronger than it actually is - I might have guessed 18-20%.

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

330 ml bottle, as Mikkeller Cascade Single Hop IPA, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 6.9%. Deep golden to orange colour, big and lasting off-white head. Lovely aroma of Cascade hops, with the typical grapefruity and pney notes. The flavour is again typical Cascade (in plentiful quantities) from start to finish, lots of grapefruit, pine needles and resin. A nearly Campari-like (wormwood) bitterness in the finish. Some malty sweetness does its best to balance some of the hoppiness. Has enough hops to satisfy hardcore hopheads - I would have been satisfied with less, even though I love Cascade.

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

330 ml bottle, as Mikkeller Centennial Single Hop IPA, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 6.9%. Orange to amber colour, big to moderate off-white head. Moderate aroma of Centennial hops - slightly woody, resinous and spicy. The flavour is distinctly hoppy - woody and spicy again, on a background of very moderate malty sweetness. Very bitter finish and aftertaste. Decent enough beer, but it leaves me with the impression that Centennial is better in combination with other hops, rather than as a single hop.

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

330 ml bottle, Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 5.0%. Golden colour, slightly hazy. Pours very fizzy with a large white head. Moderate but pleasant and inviting aroma of fruity and floral American hops (Columbus, Amarillo and Challenger). Fizzy mouthfeel, not very creamy. Light bodied. Pleasant moderate flavour of American hops. Easy drinking, nice enough. Might be true to style (I don’t really know, I did not live in pre-prohibition America), but this can hardly be said to be Mikkeller’s most interesting and challenging beer (nor was it intended to be, probably).

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

330 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Beer, Stavanger. ABV is 4.6%. Golden colour, hazy in the end, big white head. Fairly nice aroma of floral and herbal Czech and German hops. The flavour is definitely on the hoppy side side, but there is also enough malty sweetness to back it up. Herbal character, some honeyish notes too. Good bitterness in the finish, but not too much. Clearly a pils well above average.

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

Bottle, at RBESG 2007 in Glasgow, Grand Tasting. Hazy golden colour. Nice aroma of hops - spicy, oaky and fruity. Unfortunately I drank it too warm, but the flavour was still spicy and quite OK. Rerate, 750 ml "champagne" bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 8.0%. Deep golden colour, slightly hazy, with a big and slightly off-white head. Lovely aroma of Amarillo and Cascade hops, with spicy and fruity (citrussy) notes, also hints of caramel. The flavour is spicy and zesty, with grapefruity hops but it is not too bitter. Hints of candi sugar and oak, but the beer is not sweet. Dry and slightly astringent finish. Alcohol is noticeable, but the beer is still dangerously drinkable for its strength. I’m upping it a point. In danger of repeating myself: Well done (again), Mikkel!

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 5 | Mouthfeel: 5 | Flavor: 5 | Overall: 5

330 ml bottle, batch 01.01, from Voldby Købmandsgård. ABV is 6.6%. Malts are pilsener, pale and münchener (+ flaked oats), hops are Tomahawk for bittering and Tettnanger for aroma. Hazy golden colour, huge white head. Herbal and slightly spicy aroma, soon overtaken by less pleasant strong notes of stale orange marmalade. Lagerish mouthfeel. The flavour is initially refreshing, but is soon dominated by notes of stale orange marmalade again. Moderately bitter finish. Mikkeller’s least successful beer so far? Drinkable of course - but hey, this is Mikkeller, I expect something better than this!