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

Shared bottle at local tasting, bought at Systembolaget, Sweden. Pitch black colour, moderate brown head. Lovely aroma, Belgian yeast and strong roasty notes, dark chocolate, coffee and vanilla. Roasty flavour, medium sweet, the same elements as in the aroma. Excellent beer.

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

330 ml bottle with tear-off cap, from Ølkonsortiet, Aalborg. Bottle conditioned. ABV is 7.0%. Pitch black colour, large tan head. Very nice roasty aroma, notes of dark chocolate, mild coffee and tar, a hint of liquorice. The flavour is moderately roasty and fairly dry, with strong notes of dark chocolate and coffee. Just a slight fruity acidity. The finish has a solid hoppy and roasty bitterness. Slightly salty aftertaste. Very good.

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

355 ml bottle, from Ølbutikken (or possibly Høkeren), Copenhagen. ABV is 11.2%. Pitch black colour, minimal tan head. Lovely complex aroma with roasty and vinous notes, coffee, dark chocolate, liquorice, cedar wood and honey. Warming mouthfeel. The flavour is very malty and sweet with strong roasty notes, coffee, molasses, honey, wood, dark bitter chocolate and liquorice. The sweetness is to some extent balanced by resinous American hops. A mighty fine beer!

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

355 ml bottle, from Ølbutikken (or possibly Høkeren), Copenhagen. ABV is 11.2%. Pitch black colour, moderate tan head. Compared to CC Either, the aroma is very moderate: Dusty notes up front, followed by notes of mild coffee, hints of dark chocolate and wood. Warming mouthfeel. In the flavour, wood is up front, followed by malts, molasses, chocolate and honey. Distinct resinous hops in the finish. Good stuff, but Either is a tad better.

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

330 ml shared bottle from the brewery, ABV 10.1%. Pitch black colour, tan head. Roasty aroma, notes of dark chocolate and coffee. Roasty flavour, dark bitter chocolate and coffee again, maybe not very complex, but good enough for me. Salty finish.

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

Shared 750 ml bottle, thanks to gunnar. Vintage 2010, ABV 10%. Bottle No. 3495 out of 3800. Pitch black colour, rich tan head. Intense aroma of bourbon and vanilla, oak and molasses, roasty notes in the background. The fairly sweet flavour is roasty with notes of dark chocolate and coffee, also molasses, bourbon, vanilla and oak. Lovely stuff.

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

330 ml bottle, Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 7.0%. Pitch black colour, huge brown head. Roasty aroma with notes of chocolate and mild coffee. Rich and moderately sweet roasty flavour, with notes of strong coffee and dark chocolate. Bitter finish and aftertaste.

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

1 pt. 6 fl. oz. bottle, Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 10.0%. Pitch black colour, modest carbonation, low brown head. Strong aroma of chocolate, liquorice, molasses, coffee and alcohol. The rich flavour has notes of roasted barley, liquorice and strong coffee, medium sweet. Bitter hops in the finish.

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

650 ml bottle, as Southern Tier Imperial Mokah, Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 11.0%. Pitch black colour, moderate to low tan head. Lovely strong aroma of predominant chocolate, also notes of vanilla and coffee. The flavour has loads of dark chocolate, vanilla and strong coffee, with bitter hops (Columbus and Chinook) in the finish. Extremely powerful stuff.

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

Shared bottle. Pitch black colour, moderate brown head. Nice roasty aroma, notes of coffee, liquorice, oak and old brandy. The flavour has the same elements as the aroma. Very good beer.

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

Shared bottle, gusher. Dark brown colour, tan head. Roasty and spicy aroma. Roasty flavour with Christmas spices. Peppery and hoppy bitter finish. Good beer.

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

On tap at Schouskjelleren, Oslo. Pitch black colour, moderate brown head. Rich aroma of solid malts, roasty as hell, loads of oak / whiskey cask. Extremely rich flavour of whiskey cask, loads of vanilla, chocolate and roasty coffee. Very good.

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

Shared bottle at RBNAG 2011 in Oslo. Black colour, no head. Intense aroma of dark malts, molasses and raisins.The flavour has the same elements as the aroma, with loads of alcohol.

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

500 ml bottle, Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 8.1%. Pitch black colour, moderate brown head. Strong smokey and roasty aroma, notes of peat and strong coffee, hints of tar, dark chocolate and liquorice. Rich and full mouthfeel. Rich flavour, sweet up front, strong roasty notes, strong and bitter coffee, moderate notes of peat smoke, dry and roasty finish, long bitter aftertaste. Pretty massive stuff.

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

On tap at HaandBryggeriet Beer Festival, Drammen. Pitch black colour, brown head. Lovely complex aroma, cognac, oak, vanilla, roasty notes (coffee, liquorice). Excellent flavour, medium sweet and distinctly roasty, notes of cognac, oak, coffee, caramel and liquorice. Top notch!

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

On tap at HaandBryggeriet Beer Festival, Drammen. Served too cold. Pitch black colour, creamy beige head. Modest aroma, mild roasty notes, coffee, dark chocolate and dust, hints of oak. Will probably improve as the beer warms up. The flavour is distinctly roasty with notes of strong coffee and dark chocolate, but is not very sweet. Packs a real punch this one.

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

On tap at HaandBryggeriet Beer Festival, Drammen. Pitch black colour, low tan head. Roasty aroma and flavour, coffee and some malty sweetness, notes of oak / bourbon barrel (more in the flavour than in the aroma). Good beer.

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

330 ml bottle, Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 8.4%. Black colour, minimal tan head. Aroma of roast malts, chocolate and vanilla. Roasty flavour, not too sweet, with chocolate, vanilla and coffee, decent hops. Very good beer.

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

330 ml stubby swingtop bottle, batch 2012. ABV is 10.276% (!). Very brown colour, nearly black (= fairly pale for an imperial stout), huge beige head. Roasty aroma, roast malts, roast pepper, coffee, hints of vanilla and chocolate. Smooth and fairly sweet flavour, plenty of chocolate / cocoa, mild sweetened coffee, hints of molasses, medium bitter hops in the finish. Quite enjoyable.

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

Shared 330 ml bottle at local tasting, as Thornbridge Eldon Bourbon Oak Imperial Stout, from Ales by Mail. ABV 8.0%. Black colour, beige head. Moderate aroma of bourbon, hints of vanilla and chocolate. Smooth and well rounded flavour, with bourbon, vanilla, chocolate and mild coffee. Excellent beer.

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

Shared 355 ml bottle at local tasting. Pitch black colour, no head. Strong and intense aroma of bourbon / oak / vanilla, nearly hiding the roasty, chocolate and coffee notes in the background. Low carbonation. Sweet and rich flavour, notes of bourbon, vanilla, oak, chocolate and coffee.

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

341 ml bottle, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. ABV is 9.5%. Black colour, moderate tan head. Aroma of coffee, roast malts and dark chocolate. Rich flavour, but not too sweet, notes of roast malts and strong coffee, also plenty of bittering hops. Hints of dark bitter chocolate and unsweetened liquorice. Good beer, but not as outstanding as expected.

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

330 ml bottle, from the Norwegian importer. ABV is 8%. Black colour, low beige head. Moderate aroma of roast malts, smooth whisky, vanilla, mild coffee and chocolate. The roasty flavour is not too sweet, but has fairly distinct notes of smoke, whisky, vanilla, and coffee. Not bad at all, but my expectations were higher.

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

750 ml corked bottle, at a tasting with Garrett Oliver. ABV is 11.3%. Black colour, brown head. Aroma of oak, bourbon, vanilla, chocolate, coffee, hints of fusel alcohols. Lovely smooth flavour, vanilla, chocolate and bourbon. Very enjoyable.

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

250 ml bottle, wrapped in silk paper in a metal cylinder, from Vinmonopolet. Batch #373, ABV is 15.5%. Ingredients include sugars and coffee. 100 IBU. Pitch black colour, moderate greyish brown head. Strong aroma of stale cold coffee, roasted barley and dark bitter chocolate. Warming mouthfeel. Very sweet (too sweet) and sugary flavour, notes of sweetened coffee, syrup, chocolate and liquorice. The bitterness seems quite moderate, because of the overwhelming sweetness. Hints of resin in the aftertaste. Well worth sampling, but this is the least successful edition of Dark Horizon so far. Won’t buy again, as it is also quite expensive..