Nøgne Ø Imperial Stout Highland Edition

Brewed by Nøgne Ø
Style: Imperial Stout
Grimstad, Norway

(Bottle at Pikkulintu) Poured black with small brown head. Aroma contained vanilla and roastedness. Palate was full bodied and oily with medium carbonation. Flavours were roastedness, vanilla, whisky, chocolate, malts, sweetness and bitterness. Aftertaste contained roastedness and vanilla. Really nice combination. The whisky and barrel flavours didn’t hide the original imperial stout flavour. It was clearly present.

Bottle. Pours black with a big creamy brown head. Chunks and spots of suds are clinging to the glass as it’s being emptied dangerously fast. Nice. Aroma is very inviting, typical imperial stout characteristics as roasted notes, chocolate, some coffee, dried dark fruits, some vanilla, with a smoky and spiced side to it. The whisky is definitely there, but the base beer is still the dominant factor. Some alcohol as well. Flavour is big, the notes in the aroma augmented by the creamy and thick mouthfeel. Very well balanced, the whisky not dominating in any sense like it often does in BA imp stouts. Ends fairly bitter, dry cocoa style. Glad I got more of this.

Bottle at home. Feels more soft and round than the regular Imperial Stout, with a background of wood and whisky. Nice warm finish. Well balanced, you can not pick out any strong character from a particular type of whisky. Lovely beer for sipping, long spicy aftertaste ending up with a bit of smoke.

50cl bottle at Patricks. No batch info or best before date. It poured a pitch black colour with a big medium brown head that settled down fast in the glass. Aroma is malty with notes of alcohol, coffee and wheats. Some hints of whisky as well. The flavour is rich and tastes of malts, coffee, roasted barley and alcohol. Some liqorice and hints of whiskey as well. It has a long, lingering aftertaste.  

Bottle. A pitch black beer under a two-finger, dense, brown head that lasts and leaves lacings. Big nose with lots of chocolate and coffee-ish roastyness as a backbone, whisky giving alcohol and vanilla. Wood, dried fruits, soil, licorice and a touch of the hops. Super-smooth in the mouth, and with a good, pleasant warmth. Full-bodied and sweet. Still, not as full-bodied and oily as I remember from my first tasting of it. The flavor is pretty much like the aroma, without too much focus on the whisky. Mostly roasted bitterness in the finish, but the hops aren’t completely lost either. A wonderful beer that might be wise to share with a good friend or two. Even though it’s only nine percent alcohol. Looking forward to my next bottle. 091103

Tested@NøgneØ’s stand @Ølmessen 2009,Nærbø. Creamy brown head covering a black pour that smells of roasted espresso and with sweet whisky hints. Moderately sweet and acidic and lightly bitter. Long sweet and alcoholic finish. Well balanced. Medium to full bodied with creamy, dry texture. Recommended!

500 ml unlabelled bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. Pitch black colour, big chocolate brown head. Lovely aroma of whisky barrel (possibly used for sherry before whisky?), but the whisky elements are not overdone - also notes of chocolate, dark dried fruits, vanilla and coffee. Full and rich mouthfeel. The flavour has a pronounced malty sweetness and well balanced roastiness, again notes of oak, sherry, dark dried fruits, vanilla and coffee - also moderate notes of tar. An excellent example of how good oak aged impy stouts can be, when the balance is just right.

Bottled at Stockholm Beer Festival. Near black, small beige head. Aroma of whisky and licorice. Mid-sweet. Tar mingles with smokey whisky. Near full bodied with grainy roasty malt whiskey and tar bitterness. A well performed contribution to the mainstream line of extreme brewing.