★ Review: Cigar City Marshal Zhukov’s Imperial Stout (2011 Vintage)

   AROMA 8/10   APPEARANCE 5/5   TASTE 9/10   PALATE 3/5   OVERALL 18/20

Picked a couple of these up in a trade. 2011 Vintage. Figured it was time to crack one open. Poured into a Mikasa Tulip at 45 Degrees F. Reading the label, this beer is aimed to improve in taste through the February after release. It’s now May so I’m a little late but I’m sure it’s holding up just fine. 

A – Holy Hell. Midnight, oily and pitch black pour. there is zero light coming through the pour. Pours viscous like a motor oil. 3-Finger slow rising chocolate colored head with ultra tiny bubbles. Subsided so slowly, I had to wait a few minutes to take a sip. Nice alcohol legs on the glass as I swirl it around. 

S – My nose almost flew off my face to crawl into the glass. First thing I get is cocoa powder followed by chocolate milk and coffee beans with a creamy undertone of fresh milk. The bite on the nose is all that big beautiful cane syrup I used to slather all over my pancakes growing up. Not much boozy scent but nice big bold malt character amidst all of the great scents. 

T – Wow. Where do I start? Immediately, the Hershey’s chocolate bar is what I get first followed closely by a warm single shot of espresso from my home machine a taste I enjoy every morning. There’s the thick syrupy cane sugar underneath with a mild bit of spice. I’m getting just a tad bit of floral notes and a really solid boozy burn in my chest after swallowing. 

M – 80/20 Carbonation on the mouth swish. Heavy body (of course). Lingering chocolate and a bit of brown sugar. 

O – This beer is HUGE. It’s not an ABV bomb like some of the Bruery RIS but it’s big both in size (750 only) and in taste. It burns like a whiskey & coke and is clearly a sipping beer. Chug this and you’re an ass and will probably get sick. So amazing though.