Stone Belgo Anise Imperial Russian Stout

3.9/5

AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 5/5 OVERALL 15/20

22 ounce bottle into snifter. Pours opaque black color with a small 1 finger dark tan head with decent retention that reduces to a thin lacing cap that lasts. Some ok lacing is left on the glass as well. Aromas of huge spices, oak, anise, chocolate, roasted malt, smoke, and maybe a bit of booze. Aromas are quite interesting indeed, strong too. Taste of huge oak, chocolate, anise, spices, and a bit of smoke. Some decent bitterness present on the finish that lingers with oak, smoke, chocolate, spice, and roasted flavors. Insanely smooth, creamy, and slick body with light-medium carbonation. No alcohol noticed in the taste and a very minimal amount noticed on the finish. Overall, definitely a very interesting imperial stout, but this is highly enjoyable stuff.

Some interesting flavors going on here, and I can see why most people would not like this very much. I would like to see what some age does to this as well.