Firestone Walker Brewing Company Velvet Merlin

Cinnamon is breaking down the door, and vanilla is calling for backup. This beer is straight up cinnamon and vanilla throughout; it does not dissipate, and it does not care. Bourbon scoots on in at the end and rounds out the beer wonderfully. Chocolate pulls it all together, and the sweetness isn't overbearing. The flavors are well-integrated, and it feels like you need to carve out tunnels in a large tub of ice cream to create some beer moats with this. Get a bonfire going and don't share this bottle.

**Aroma:** “Big oak with nearly no hops aroma. Nice roasty notes with some earthy and nutty flavors as well as big bourbon and vanilla notes on the front, balanced with a nice caramel and oatmeal malt sweetness. Subtle roasted malt comes through as espresso at the end.” **Flavor:** “Caramel, almond, and oak showcase. The vanilla character is strong and carries through. Nice roasted notes of coffee and malt help keep it from being too sweet. Cherry and plum esters. Balanced, with a pleasant sweetness that lingers in the finish.” **Overall:** “Beer candy. This is the sort of beer you either love or laugh at—a ridiculously oaked beer that manages to pull it off. You could finish a bomber of this on your own and not regret it. Perhaps the most drinkable barrel-aged stout I’ve had, while still remaining one of the tastiest.”

**Aroma:** “Rich chocolate and toasty malt. Rich smooth roasted aroma profile. Sweet oats. Coffee. Medium Belgium fruity notes come out more as it starts to warm up. A light licorice note with a touch of alcohol.” **Flavor:** “Rich chocolate blends well with the dark roast profile. Moderate sweetness that fades into a moderately strong bitterness with a hint of acidity. Dark fruit cherry esters. Acidity lingers. Strong roasted acidity is just slightly overdone. Finishes slightly dry with a lingering bitterness. Thick chewy body with a light tart note. Aftertaste is licorice that sits on the tongue with roast.” **Overall:** “Nice, rich, chocolate roast malt profile, and nice balance of malt sweetness and bitterness. Oatmeal could have added a touch more sweetness or creaminess. An interesting Belgium note with chocolate and a high licorice note.”