In a blind tasting by BJCP trained experts, this beer rated

99

Hardywood Park Ruse (2017)

Aroma: “Rich chocolate roast character with vinous dark fruit and white pepper.”

Flavor: “Fantastic rich and chewy stout character, huge chocolate and dried cherry, with hints of vanilla. The finish is quite sweet, but cut by the tannic barrel-aged character. Not as much red-wine character as in the nose, but it still adds some complexity.”

Overall: “Wow! This is an awesome beer. The milk stout borders on being overly sweet, but it has some really nice complexity and when paired with the barrel-aged qualities, it leads to a fantastic rich and chewy finish. The red-wine qualities from the barrel are evident throughout and accentuate the complexity.”

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