 s_creigh (198), Fort Wayne, Indiana, USA
May 24, 2006 Sampled on DL Day 2006!!! I have to give it 100%, come on...year old...oak aged Dark Lord??? Much more intense than I coould have imagined. Almost like bourbon. I was amazed that when the glass was empty the coating hung on like it was maple syrup. One great beer.
Brigadier (820), Chagrin Falls, Ohio, USA
Apr 29, 2006 On tap during Dark Lord Day
With great trepidation, I got my 5 oz plastic cup of Barrel Aged Dark Lord and transferred into my new tasting goblet. The result was a light sucking black colored liquid with a beautiful tan head that stubbornly stuck to the side of the glass. After admiring it, I took a timid sniff. A very rich and complex bouquet of coffee, caramel, cherries, fresh sugar cane, vanilla and Maker’s Mark greeted my eager nose.
After much debate, my first sip bestowed many pleasures upon my virgin tongue. There was first a wave of freshly whipped high grade chocolate, ground Kona expresso beans and bourbon. Next came impressions of vanilla beans, more bourbon notes and dehydrated cherries. On the third wave came creamy smooth expresso blended with figs. Finally, after all that, there was a long lingering combination of everything wrapped up in a sublime package. It’s too bad that I was only able to try this once. It was an extremely amazing experience that is all the more special because it is so hard to come by. It also happens to be my first perfect rating after a few months of exploring the universe of fermented beverages. If you can make it to Dark Lord Day 2007, do it just to try this - you will not regret the trip at all.
xmarcnolanx (574), Kirkwood, Missouri, USA
Apr 30, 2007 This is as close to a perfect beer as I have ever had.
Dense, rich mouthfeel. Disturbingly black and near still appearance. The bourbon really comes out in this beer and so does the oak. Dark cherry and chocolate with a ton of coffee. This is definitely the best experience I have had with beer.
bdigi66 (400), Ft Wayne, Indiana, USA
Apr 28, 2008 Draft @ DLD 08: This is as black as Pinhead’s soul and about as relentless and abusing. MASSIVE oak and bourbon nose but surprisingly did not cover up the other subtleties...dark fruits, vanilla, dark malts, tobacco and coffee. Contrary to some of the other reviews, I believe this to be very well balanced as far as the oak/bourbon goes...didn’t seem too cloyingly sweet and was unbelievably drinkable. The thickest brew I’ve ever had and the best.
DeweyDell (136), Columbus, Ohio, USA
Apr 27, 2008 I have to admit that I’ve fallen head over heels for the bourbon-aged craze, I dig the bourbon flavor and I really dig the Dark Lord... together they are absolutely amazing. Some beers don’t really stand up to the challenge, the bourbon can get a little overwhelming, but the DL is rich enough that the bourbon flavors just work their way into the beer and create something so amazing.... While I agree that it is not a "sit on the back porch and drink a couple with your BBQ" beer, it is worth one of my few perfect 5.0’s for being the hands-down most delicious mouthful of anything I’ve ever had.
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