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.”