Pours a dark brown with a small cream coloured head that stays with you and leaves an almost solid lacing around the glass, I don't think I've ever seen a beer leave this much lacing, my entire glass is covered with lacing, pretty cool.

The first things I smell are sweet malts and dark fruit (cherries, plums) followed by bread, caramel and a little alcohol as well.

The taste follows the nose but is a little sweeter and occasionally reminiscent of a stout, quite unexpected but a nice surprise. A tingly alcohol, roasted malts and raising flavour lingers for a while on the tongue. The tastes are all well balanced, subtle and smooth. And smooth is what it feels like. Silky smooth and very heavy, definitely a sipper.

Overall I was positively surprised, this is a beer to take your time with and it doesn't give you much of a choice in the matter either. It was surprisingly stoutlike at times yet always smooth and subtle.