MacTarnahans Bourbon Cask Aged Blackwatch Cream Porter

Formerly brewed at Portland Brewing Company (Pyramid)
Style: Porter
Portland, Oregon USA

There is a smoked wood and milk aroma on this one, which is really nice. Creamy with a sour milk and alcohol mixture. The bourbon really stands out in the finish. Goes from a smooth cream mouthfeel to a biting alcohol presence at the end, which is pretty remarkable. I like this one a lot.

Bottle... This beer rocks!... Very dark, black hole-like ale. Medium-sized, beige, frothy head. Leaves excellent lacework. The aroma is divine. Vanilla, chocolate, caramel, coffee and sour mash whiskey. Some really nice, toasted macadamia nuts in the nose as well. The flavor is of roasted almonds, vanilla, milk chocolate, caramel, bourbon and a touch of cinnamon. Well-balanced. Medium-bodied with a buttery mouthfeel and lively carbonation. Short, dryish, silk smooth finish. Excellent Brew!

(2003) Red-black body with small creamy tan head. Aroma is espresso and chocolate, some bourboned and light vanilla -- damn that's inviting! Taste is much the same, though the bourbon is more prominent (though not dominant) and there's also light oak. Finish is sweet coffee. Creamy medium-full body that's slightly acidic.

Pours black with a thin tan head. Has an aroma of roasted coffee beans & chocolate. Full bodied flavor with a coffee aftertase. Very Good.

Black color with light brown tawny light, tan off-white head. Aroma of light chocolate and moderate coffee, also hints towards the bourbon aging are evident as well; oak, port, bourbon and smoke. The flavor is semi-sweet with a more rhobust coffee backbone. Finishes lightly astringent and creamy. This is a very good porter that really improves as it is warmed up to around 50ºF with lots of roast qualities.

I have tried the Blackwatch Cream Porter before, and while I wasn't disappointed, I wasn't overly impressed. This one is quite different! The Cask Aged version is very smooth with a hint of bourbon, but not too much. Very nice coffee/toffee aroma, with a mild hint of raisins. Black as night with a big cream/tan head and strong lacing. Rich flavor of caramel, espresso and toffee with a silky cream essence. Full mouth feel without being oily or syrupy. While it's quite pricy (6.00 for 22 oz.) This is a very very enjoyable. A very nice porter.

Dark brown with a full, tan head. Strong bourbon aroma. Vanilla, whiskey, oak, chocolate, a touch of coffee and little else. Fairly good drinkability with a moderate body and a smooth finish. The flavor is pretty good, but I think it sat too long in the whiskey barrels, at least for my taste.

Opaque, near black, with red tones. Smoky aroma, a hint of roast, definite bourbon notes. Jim Beamish notes, the more Bourbon I think, the more Bourbon it tastes. Vanilla and oaky notes are layered in those Bourbon flavors. Roasted sweet malts layer in the background. Light hops in the finish. Interesting sweetness from the Bourbon and caramelized malts. Hint of rising hops in the finish.