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

355 ml bottle, Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 6.9%. Brown colour, large off-white head. Nice aroma of malts (including some caramel) and mild spices, including cinnamon. Also some fruity notes (blackcurrants and ripe blackberries). None of the aroma elements are overdone. The flavour is first fruity (hints of blackcurrants and blackberries again) and malty with some caramel, but not too sweet. The Christmas spices come through more distinctly, but not sharp. The bittering hops are very moderate (too moderate for my taste), probably making the beer palatable for people who don’t fancy AVBC’s hoppier beers. Easy drinking, and does not taste as strong as it is.

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

500 ml bottle conditioned, will soon be available at Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 4.8%. Black colour, moderate beige head. Pleasant mildly roasty aroma, notes of mild coffee, dark chocolate and woodwork, a hint of liquorice. The medium dry flavour has the same elements as the aroma. I don’t know what makes this a "double" stout, but it is nice enough to drink anyway.

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

Sample from bottle at Copenhagen Beer Festival. Very dark brown, nearly black colour, tan head. Aroma and flavour have mild roasty notes, mild coffee, chocolate. Silky smooth flavour, very pleasant to drink. Sure, there are "bigger" stouts out there, but this one is impossible to dislike.

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

330 ml bottle, from Kalø Whisky & Vin, Denmark. ABV is 4.2%. Black colour, large greyish-beige head. Distinct aroma of chocolate, also notes of coffee, oatmeal and brown sugar. Fizzy mouthfeel. The flavour is slightly sweet, with the same elements as the aroma, some earthy hops in the finish.

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

330 ml bottle, from Kalø Whisky & Vin, Denmark. ABV is 5.0%. Black colour, huge and rocky beige head, takes a long time to settle. Aroma of roast malts and coffee, hints of dark chocolate and unsweetened liquorice. Dry flavour with the same elements as the aroma, earthy hops and more roast malts in the medium bitter finish.

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

355 ml can, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. ABV is 8%. Pitch black colour, small brown head. Sweetish aroma of roast malts, coffee and loads of maple syrup. The flavour is not quite as sweet as I feared, but has again loads of maple syrup, also notes of coffee, moderate bittering hops.

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

Cask halfpint at the Brewery Shades, Crawley. 6.6%. Black color, small beige head. Aroma of liquorice and wood. Distinct and slightly sweet flavour of liquorice, tar and wood, also salt of hartshorn and one spice that I can’t pinpoint. The hops are too moderate.

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

330 ml bottle, Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 5.9%. Black colour, large tan head. Aroma of roast malts and coffee, hints of Irish whiskey, vanilla, lactose and dark chocolate. Slightly dry flavour with notes of roast malts, strong coffee, Scotch whisky, oak and peat smoke, only a hint of lactose.

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

Sample from bottle at Copenhagen Beer Festival 2013. Served too cold. Black colour, moderate beige head. Moderate roasty aroma, notes of cold coffee, unsweetened cocoa and wood. Very dry roasty flavour, coffee notes. Some hops in the finish. Not very complex, but nice enough to drink.

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

440 ml can, from Bier Huis, Ossett. ABV is 4.8%. Black colour, huge tan head, takes "forever" to settle. Aroma of roast malts, mild coffee and chocolate, some vinous hints in the background. Roasty flavour, medium dry, coffee and dark chocolate again, distinct bittering hops in the finish.

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

330 ml can, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. ABV is 7.7%. Black colour (note: artificial colour E150c has been used here), moderate beige head. Aroma of roast malts, caramel, maize, mild coffee and dark chocolate. Light bodied for its strength. Flavour of roast malts, mild coffee, some caramel sweetness, moderate bittering hops.

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

341 ml bottle, from a Quebecois co-worker. ABV is 6.5%. Black colour, low tan head. Strong and pleasant aroma of cocoa and vanilla. The flavour is not very sweet, but has plenty of cocoa powder and vanilla, with strong coffee and bittering hops in the finish. No aphrodisiaque effect detected - maybe I am immune?

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

On tap at Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. Pitch black colour, large and creamy beige head. Firm roasty aroma, notes of coffee and chocolate, hints of liquorice and woodwork. Moderately roasty flavour, medium dry, with the same elements as in the aroma, followed by a distinct hoppy bitterness. Roasty and hoppy aftertaste. Well balanced and highly drinkable.

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

Shared bottle at local tasting. Black colour, moderate beige head. Dryish roasty aroma, hints of old leather and bacon. Dry and roasty flavour too, notes of bacon and smoke. Did not blow my socks off this one.

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

On tap at Cardinal, Stavanger. Black colour, large beige head. Aroma of roast malt, coffee and chocolate. Lovely flavour with the same elements as in the aroma, well balanced.

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

330 ml bottle, as Storm Beer Iron Stout, in Bali. ABV is 5%. Black colour, moderate tan head. Moderate but nice roasty aroma, notes of coffee, hints of dark chocolate. Relatively light bodied. Medium dry flavour, distinct roasty notes of coffee, again with hints of dark chocolate. Fairly decent beer.

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

330 ml bottle, from a Bali supermarket. ABV is 5%. Very dark brown colour, nearly black. Large to moderate beige head. Aroma of dark malts, mild coffee, caramel and palm sugar. The flavour is medium dry and only mildly roasty, again notes of mild coffee and dark malts, hints of caramel and palm sugar. Slightly acidic and thin finish. I cannot say that I am able to identify the ginseng.

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

Shared 330 ml bottle. Very dark brown to black colour, moderate beige head. Moderate roasty and malty notes in the dryish aroma, a hint of cocoa too. Thin mouthfeel. Dry roasty flavour, okay but not remarkable.

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

500 ml clear bottle, as Belhaven Black Scottish Stout, from a potential importer. ABV is 4.2%. Very dark ruby to mahogany colour, moderate beige head. Weak aroma but not unpleasant, hints of fruit and weak coffee. Fizzy mouthfeel, light bodied. The medium dry flavour has mild roasty notes, mild coffee and grain. Again: not unpleasant, but too little of everything. The 7% Scottish Stout is far better.

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

Shared 750 ml corked and wired bottle, as Christophe Noyon Bière Noire de Slack, from Voldby Købmandsgård, Denmark. ABV 5.4%. Black colour, decent beige head. Dry roasty and ashy aroma. Dry, moderately roasty and slightly ashy flavour. The hops are too moderate, otherwise a decent dry stout.

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

00 ml bottle, as The Black Rooster Stout Oak’n Islay Edition, from Ølkonsortiet, Aalborg. ABV is 6.7%. Pitch black colour, large to moderate brown head. Nice aroma, roasty, coffee, dark chocolate, molasses, tar, liquorice, Islay whisky with notes of peat smoke, oak, vanilla, sea water and old rope. The flavour is medium sweet (or medium dry, if you like), with strong notes of peat / smoke, ashes, Islay whisky and roasted malts / coffee. A slight unwanted acidity and some salty notes. The hops are quite moderate.

Aroma: 5 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 4 | Flavor: 3 | Overall: 4

750 ml bottle, Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV 8.1%. Blend 4, bottled 20. Jan. 2011. My bottle was a big time gusher, half of the content came out of the bottle by its own will. I know Jolly Pumpkin have wild yeast in all their beers, but this one was too wild. Pitch black colour, foamy tan head. Strong aroma of wild yeast / farmhouse, vinegar and roasted malts, notes of dark chocolate and coffee. The flavour is medium sour and vinegary, does not blend in well at all with the roasty notes of a stout. Clearly infected.

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

Bottle, as Xbeeriment Barack, at Schouskjelleren, Oslo. Contract brewed for Xbeeriement at Amager Bryghus. Black colour, large tan head. Roasty aroma, notes of coffee, hints of dark chocolate, wood and ashes. Dry roasty flavour, notes of coffee, woody notes, a hint of liquorice. Not easy drinking, but nice.

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

Shared bottle at RBNAG 2011. ABV 5%. Black colour, moderate beige head. Very mild roasty aroma. Light bodied. Mild roasty flavour, dry, refreshing.

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

Shared bottle, RBNAG 2011. Black colour, tan head. Nice roasty aroma with notes of sweet malts, hints of cigarbox and liquorice. Roasty flavour, nice moderate sweetness, coffee notes, hints of liquorice, decent hops. A pleasant surprise from Spain!