Old Chimneys Good King Henry Special Reserve

Brewed by Old Chimneys
Style: Imperial Stout
Diss, England

Vintage 2006 bottle shared generously by Miketd- thanks! Deep brown not quite black - fizzy short lived head. Aroma is roast and chocolate malt upfront with an herbal hop earthy kick, moderate fruity raisin like esters with some prune and light ox- medium yet refined chocolate malts and roasted barely- light coffee with hints of vanilla bean. Flavor is on the sweet side- lots of caramel malts, toffee, maple, honey and a moderate use of chocolate and roasted barley- hints of earth and leather/tobacco leaf and dirt with a slight bourbon and vanilla finish. Pretty smooth in the end and a good long aftertaste.

Vintage 2006. Huge thanks to Beerbill for sharing his bottle. Poured a golden dark brown color with brown oily legs and minimal head. Pleasantly aged malt with tons of chocolate and tons of vanilla. Light fruit and and some alcohol to balance it all. Great flavor with roasted and fruity malt. Nice amount of oxidation. Smooth and warming. Yum.

Bottle, 2006 Vintage, sent via overseas trade with cgarvieuk in Scotland. Thanks Craig! Shared with jarspag and Maheu amidst the evening of epic beers during the January ’09 ski trip to Mammoth. This stuff is killer! Damn! Dark, oily pour with a medium deep maroon head. Perfect aroma of sweet chocolate, vanilla bean and pancake batter with roasted malt. I quaffed this in my snifter forever before drinking. Flavor is an amazing blend of roasted grains, sweet licorice and dark fruit with a warming, perfectly balanced bourbon oak tone on the back end. Hellishly balanced overall with an incredible velvety palate. Smooth, seductive, complex. Everything an oak-aged Imperial Stout ought to be. Yes!

2006 vintage, 100th rating. Thanks to Justin - first brew off the slopes in Mammoth. Nose is scary on this guy - smoke wrapped roasty, chocolate malts. Damn. Took my time smellin this one. Palate, wow, soft as hell. Flavor is also off the hook...the perfect balance between roast, sweets, ripe fruits, oak. Bourbon is spot on. Wtf did this have to be such a small bottle?!?!?!?!!? I’m a sucker for these, that is all.

2006 Vintage via reakt in trade. Pours a shimmering black.with just a ring of carbonation. Nose of ripe tropical fruit and spices. Kind of like walking thru the market in Belize City on a hot humid day. Body is slick and full bodied. Entire mouthfeel is quick with a lingering bourbonesque aftertaste. The stacatto punch of wood is well blended. Some pleasant sherry in the early bits of finish. Well played, and worth the wait.

2005 Bottle. Body-still dark cola. Nose-spiced rum, wood, light bourbon, raisin, fig, buttery. Taste-scorched, light acrid, medium alcohol, burned marshmallow, overly sweet, like a bad s’more, scorched and alcohol dominate. Great nose, disappointing taste. Watered down bourbon, sweet.

bottle thanks to KAggie97. Pours black as ink with no head. Nose is a very nice, not overpowering bourbon and oak. Taste is bourbon, chocolate. oak and tobacco. Very complex flavors. Mouthfeel is chewy with no chalkiness. Very, very nice. Wish I had another.

Bottle from reakt. Thanks, Angelo! Hope you meet up with you again, mate. Pours a thick, viscous and inviting motor oil black with a head of olive green. Aroma is a smoky chocolate with bourbon hints; nice balance of the sweet with the strong alcohol/bourbon bitterness. Flavor is a lush rainbow of chocoate bitters, bourbon, chocolate powder, and a touch of oak in the finish. Intermittent waves of sweet cigar smoke tease the taste buds. Chewy, thick mouthfeel. King Henry is a very good man who makes a very good beer. You rock, Angelo!