MacTarnahans Bourbon Cask Aged Blackwatch Cream Porter

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

Bottled. Black, small head. Woody whiskey aroma. Fairly sweet and medium bodied with soft mouthfeel. Heavy on vanilla, low bitterness. The bourbon overpowers all finer details.

Name: MacTarnahan’s BA Blackwatch Cream Porter
Date: January 04, 2006
Mode: Bottle
Source: Lee’s, Las Vegas
Appearance: solid black with a whispy tan head
Aroma: sweet and oaky aroma
Flavor: nice woody flavor on a smooth chocolate malt base, nice sweetness, good vanilla, touch of roasted, low carbonation

Name: MacTarnahan’s BA Blackwatch Cream Porter
Date: June 09, 2007
Mode: bottle
Source: Noog 3D
Vintage: 2003
Aroma: sweet milk chocolate and bourbon aroma with a touch of vanilla to bring out the sweetness
Flavor: flavor is all sour and with the milky character becomes soured milk, a touch of woody character

Aroma: 5/10; Appearance: 6/10; Flavor: 6/10; Palate: 5/10; Overall: 11/20
Rating: 2.8/5.0
Drinkability: 7/10
Score: *4

Dark amber-tinged brown colour. Sweet butter-rum aroma with peanut notes is so rich and luscious you can't help but look forward to the sip. However, the thinnish body belies the richness of the aroma. There are coffee and peanutty notes, but nothing buttery or rummy. Hint of earth.

(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.

(22oz. bottle, 2003 vintage) Pours a dark brown body with a small tan head. Aroma of vanilla, raisins, plums, and chocolate. Flavor of toasted malt, raisins, coffee, and chocolate with a creamy mouthfeel.

22oz bottle acquired in trade (I think with DarkElf?). 2003 vintage. Poured a dark brown color with a small sized off white head. Aromas of dark fruits, cofee, smoky, vanilla, and very light bourbon. Tastes of dark fruits, vanilla, coffee, chocolate, and some lactose. I found the barrel aging was done just right on this one (enhanced the flavors and wasn’t ’in your face’). Nice and smooth body. I really enjoyed this one.

2003 bottle. A ring of yellowish head covers the deep cola brown body and somehow manages to lace a bit. Woody oxidized aromas hint at penny, nuts, mellow bourbon and strong chocolate milk. Keep in the same vein in mouth, but the bad parts are pushed further, a metallic-wood combo with strong barrel influence on a seemingly dull base beer. Leafy, penny-ish and chocolatey. Very bubbly thin body doesn’t help the matters. Some may like it, but this has to be past its prime.

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!