Aroma: “Vanilla, caramel, rummy spice notes. Light coconut and cocoa, mild tobacco. The party is a little subdued by oxidation that hovers between cardboard and sherry.”

Flavor: “Dark fruits, leather, a little tobacco. Plenty of vanilla character from the barrel. Some rum-like molasses and spice. Nice alcohol support, with lots of esters. Strong bourbon/rum avor. Oxidation is more sherry than cardboard. Sweet and smoky—the barrel character is pleasant but sometimes overpowers the base beer.”

Overall: “Malt is good but not overly complex. The vanilla from the bourbon barrel grows a lot as it warms. More malt complexity and dialing back the barrel character could take this beer to the next level.”