Three Taverns Double Smack

__Aroma:__ “Like almond liqueur, with a gentle blend of roast, chocolate, and coffee. The coffee brings an earthiness for complexity. Notes of leather, oak, and vanilla bring a decent blend of barrel and flavor. Very clean overall.” __Flavor:__ “Well-blended roastiness from the malt and coffee, and some light barrel character helps pull the pieces together with notes of tannin, leather, oak, and vanillin. Nutty caramel, sherry, and a fruity yeast profile that includes dry cherries make for a fruitcake effect. Coats the mouth without being cloying. A deeper dominant flavor note than others in the category, heavy on bass notes.” __Overall:__ “Tells you up front to slow down—it’s a little hot from the booze—but a very nice balance of chocolate, coffee, and oak, which all work together to balance the sweetness. The fruitcake notes—dried cherries, almonds, and bread—worked great. I like this a lot.”

Aroma: “Nutty coconut with a grassy hops character, hints of licorice and chocolate. Plus moderate malt sweetness and a light alcohol note.” Flavor: “Medium coconut with chocolate and light coffee spiciness. Coconut and light chocolate, roast and light alcohol. Lighter body for the alcohol level with moderate carbonation that presents itself at the end. Medium roast character mixed with a light spiciness.” Overall: “Simple, coconut, chocolate, and a underlining alcohol warming. A bit more complexity rather than a coconut bomb would be preferable. Bland in comparison to other examples of the session. As it warms there is a bit of roasty coconut.”

Aroma: “Overwhelming toasted coconut with vanilla notes. Roasted, nutty coconut flavor. Fairly unattractive—no head retention with an oily/chunky sheen.” Flavor: “Syrupy sweet toasted coconut floating in hot chocolate. The alcohol balances the sweet, but it’s right at the edge of cloying (if not over). The aftertaste lets more of the roast shine through. A bit of a barrel note on the swallow. It’s gloriously and unapologetically unbalanced in the best of ways.” Overall: “Fantastic coconut character, though it’s a shame it gives it such a lackluster appearance. Chocolate bar meets whiskey shot meets crème brûlée, meets STFU and drink this! A bit too sweet overall, but enough rich complexity emerges on your palate after that initial sugar shock to keep it interesting. Oily, chunky, uncarbonated, but delicious!”