Perennial Artisan Ales Société du Chêne 2022, Papua New Guinea
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What the brewers say
“Imperial stout with Papua New Guinea vanilla beans aged in Weller barrels. A blend of 67 percent aged 17 months and 33 percent aged 16 months.”
What our panel thought
“The aroma starts off with big sweet chocolate and lots of sweet cherries, followed by a light whiskey note. Big cherries and chocolate-covered cherries dominate the flavor, moderate whiskey offsets, and there are some apricot and plum notes, too. Booze is the name of the game here, but it isn’t off-putting. It’s fudgy, and the sweetness works only because of this booze.”
What our editors thought
“Immediate marshmallow nose, backed with a fresh herbal note. Lighter and nutty in the sip, more caramel than sweet vanilla with fresh dark and roasty malt notes that eschew the heft of current trends. Rich yet sparing. More pinot noir than cabernet sauvignon.”
