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.”