Highland Brewing Company Black Watch Double Chocolate Milk Stout

__Aroma:__ “An earthy roastiness leads up front, with notes of baker’s chocolate and vanilla and a light sweetness in the back. These aromas give way to a really nice coffee-and-cream aroma as the chocolate dissipates.” __Flavor:__ “A nice milk sweetness up front is ushered in by light, not-too-sweet chocolate notes that work well with the vanilla. Smooth roast character is evident in the back and provides a great balance to the sweetness. Dark cherry and black walnut notes hang in the background. The body is medium and creamy, and it finishes sweet and round, yet dry enough to invite another sip.” __Overall:__ “Chocolate flavors abound, without being overly sweet. A pleasing complexity of sweet combined with cherry and walnut notes, and new flavors are detectable in each sip. It’s everything one looks for in a sweet stout, and the balance was spot on. It was like eating chocolate pie with a cup of coffee.”

__Aroma:__ “A nice medium roast on the nose, with secondary notes of bitter and semisweet chocolate. There’s a fair amount of caramel and dark toffee on the nose that pairs nicely with the roast, but the earthy aroma at the back really dominates. Initially, it almost comes across as a chocolate latte.” __Flavor:__ “Bitter chocolate covers the mouth with some extreme roast character, which gives it a slight wood and tobacco presence. The roast really dominates with a chewy flavor, as if biting into an espresso bean−laced dark chocolate bar. The mouthfeel is fantastic, and coats the cheeks. Finishes with hoppy bitterness, cigar, and tobacco notes.” __Overall:__ “A very good beer. The chocolaty sweetness comes through on the nose and holds on just long enough to balance the roast and cigar notes.”

**Aroma:** “A moderate chocolate note that reminds me of opening up a chocolate bar. A slight boozy note, but sweet enough to complement the chocolate. Strong chocolate flavors, reminiscent of bittersweet and sweet baker’s chocolate. Nice malt sweetness and a touch of roasted malt notes.” **Flavor:** “Sweet malt and chocolate prevail, with just a bit of roasted malt coming through as coffee. Balanced with a slightly sweet finish. Intense sweetness has some fruitiness that comes off a little bubble-gummy. Cherry and fig, dark fruit malt sweetness. Slight warming helps in the finish, and the fruitiness adds complexity.” **Overall:** “Full-bodied, sweet chocolate stout. A boozy chocolate milk is the best descriptor. The dark fruit esters from the fermentation overwhelm the chocolate character. Not quite enough hops bitterness to balance out the malt bill. Smooth, with a nice warming, and very easy drinking.”