Splinter Black

Appearance - 5.0

Enjoyed this on New Years day. Poured into a globe glass. The beer is black as night and opaque. It produces a huge, frothy dark tan head that sticks around for a good while, leaving some nice lace when it finally does settle.

Aroma - 4.0

It has a very "woodsy" aroma upon the first waft. Further investigation brings to light cocoa and roasted notes are also apparent.

Mouthfeel - 3.5

Medium-full in body with moderate carbonation. Some creaminess, but it feels a little thin to me. I think it could use a little more body.

Taste - 3.5

The taste is very similar to the nose. The oak wood character is predominate in the taste with swirls of cocoa and roasted malts. I couldn't detect any of the vanilla notes from the oak or vanilla beans listed on the label. The alcohol content is hidden very well.

Overall - 3.5

An above average imperial stout, but it didn't knock my socks off like the red and blue splinter beers. Kudos to Troegs on the release of this beer, it was handled exceptionally.