Fonta Flora Brewery At Whipoorwill Farm Double Barrel Decoy
What the brewers say
“A double bourbon barrel–aged, double-mashed imperial stout.”
What our panel thought
“Aroma is intense, rich, vinous booze but has layers of definitively beer-like honey-tinged sweetness. Even the spicy aromas are complex. Gooey raisins and sticky dates. The roasted character comes in with loads of brownie batter, blackberries, bourbon, and a hint of cinnamon and black pepper at the finish. Port and sherry alcohol lingers through the finish. Nothing singular.”
What our editors thought
“Rich leather and molasses on the nose, slightly vinous with an ethanol edge underscored by nutty chocolate roast–malt notes that open as it warms. Lightly sweet honey notes in the sip, dried out by a roast-peanut note with a clever bit of peppery spice. Darkly energetic as a brooding aroma unfolds in calculated and controlled intensity, but artfully restrained and edited into its essentials. Captures the essence of what barrel-aged stout can and should be.”
