Very bourbon forward and has a nice sweetness. Very different from any other Black Ops I’ve had.

This is better now than I remember it when it was fresh. Lots of coffee, good barleywine base, and lots of dark malt.

Still not worthy of the Bourbon County moniker, but it’s pretty good. Lots of coffee still, even after 2.5 years. Might continue aging the rest, as I think it will get better.

I get the sweet barleywine, but not the aroma of not the flavor of coffee.

Coffee is very strong on the nose and palette. Taste gets darker as it sits. Very boozy. Don’t get the barleywine part of this. Bitter. Disappointed more than I already knew I would be.

This is aging really nicely. The coffee in it is reminiscent of the 2015/6 BCBCS, followed by ultra dark chocolate, but without the typical bitterness.

This tastes like someone mixed a barleywine with an extremely bitter, hoppy west coast IPA. Three years later and it hasn’t gotten any better. Will probably be a drain pour.

Malty and hoppy.

Held up really well despite most carbonation being gone.

Held up amazingly well.

Sadly there’s not much left to this after 9 years. Just a hint of tartness from the cherries on the finish.

Loss of chocolate and a hint of coffee. Has held up quite well.

Gave to Stan Soroka as thank you for bourbon samples (Red Breast and New Riff)

Starting to taste like KBS. I THINK 4 years is the longest without losing too much, but fresh is still best. Not much coffee left. Mostly roasted malt.

Bourbon County Vertical 2023

Bourbon County Vertical 2022

Bourbon County Vertical 2021

Held up very well. Sweet, lots of dark chocolate, booziness, and roasted malt.

8 year vertical

Sadly not as good as 2016, which was not as good as 2015. This has an odd flavor profile and nose. Hoping my other bottles are better.

Bourbon County Vertical 2023

Still really great. Lots of rich, dark chocolate with a hint of booziness and sweetness.

Bourbon County Vertical 2022

Bourbon County Vertical 2021

Super smooth, complex, boozy, chocolatey, and delicious. Left it a bit warmer than usual and that allows the flavors I love to shine right away.

Vertical 2020

Very dark, lots of dark chocolate and sweetness. I think this one was best fresh.

8 year vertical

Mmmm. Welcome back my old friend. This is the BC I fell in love with but haven’t had since 2014. Dark, malty, bourbony booziness. Yum

This one has not held up as well as others. Mouthfeel is a bit thin and while there’s barrel left on it, there’s a hint of bitterness as well. Hoping it gets better as it warms.

With Phil in Colorado during steak night.

Bourbon County Vertical 2023

Not my favorite year, but crazy depth of flavor and very boozy.

Bourbon County Vertical 2022

Bourbon County Vertical 2021

Tons of dark chocolate, malt, and bourbon goodness. Decadent and rich.

Vertical 2020

Held up well. Plenty of coffee and barrel, though seems like very little carbonation.

Really roasty and whiskey is well pronounced. Dark chocolate flavors also present.

Bourbon County Vertical 2023

Still really great. Lots of rich, dark chocolate with a hint of booziness and sweetness.

Bourbon County Vertical 2022

Bourbon County Vertical 2021

Super smooth, complex, boozy, chocolatey, and delicious. Left it a bit warmer than usual and that allows the flavors I love to shine right away.

Vertical 2020

Very dark, lots of dark chocolate and sweetness. I think this one was best fresh.

8 year vertical

Mmmm. Welcome back my old friend. This is the BC I fell in love with but haven’t had since 2014. Dark, malty, bourbony booziness. Yum

This hasn’t lost much of anything, save a little vanilla.

Don’t taste any coffee on this one any longer. The 2019 I had earlier was much better.

Good this year, though I’m less tolerant each year of the bitterness. If they reduced that, it would likely still be in my top 5.

Been years since I’ve had an Eclipse and sadly, the bitterness factor hasn’t changed. I get a lot of dark chocolate and bourbon, but the lingering bitterness just makes it less enjoyable.