Banana bomb! Once the banana subsides, some sweet but dark chocolate comes in and then the banana comes back subtly, with a bit of barrel on the finish. Very enjoyable, not overly sweet, and signature OH stout velvety thickness, without being heavy.

This has really great flavor and it’s soft and light.

Still tastes great. Starting to detect a hint of age, but not in a bad way.

Still tastes as I remember it. Sad they haven’t made this again.

Holding up really well.

Still so good.

Holding up nicely so far. Still strong whiskey and fig flavors, with malt on the finish.

Really interesting. Bold malty flavor, softened by the brandy and made slightly sharp by the whiskey. Sweetness from the figs and dates.

Lots of dark chocolate. Too bitter on the front and finish. Sweeter than expected but not overly sweet. Not really picking up any cherry flavors. Decent, but not one I’d buy again.

I’ve been trying to get my hands on this bottle for a long time. In short, it’s fantastic. Is it better than Rare (2015)? No. You immediately taste the rich complexity of the 2 Elijah Craig barrels it was aged in for a year each and all the boozy goodness you’d expect. Lots of chocolate and a bit of sweetness on the palate. The finish is long with the familiar BC sticky sweetness.

Really enjoying this one. Depth of flavor and complexity with a hint of fig, sweetness, and bourbon barrel. Overall flavor presents like it has some age on it.

Flavor doesn’t seem to have changed. The almond flavor is still just as strong on the front. On the finish, lots of rich dark chocolate.

Lots of underlying chocolate, layered with rainbow cookie. The nose is very much biscotti with a hint of licorice, but thankfully not more than that. Only negative is a slight bitter note on the finish.

Held up really well. Dark, sweet, toffee, bourbon goodness.

Imperial stout with cacao nibs and Mostra Vietnam Lotus Coffee. Aged in bourbon barrels 2022.

This has held up remarkably well. Still plenty of coffee and flavorful maple syrup flavors.

Lots of coffee and molasses, along with dark chocolate. A bit thinner than the regular stouts, but flavors linger for awhile.

Coffee is still prominent, with a hint of sweetness from the maple. Holding up well so far.

Lots of coffee; more than I remember. Glad I have a bunch of these left.

Did a side by side with 2019 Café de Olla and 2020 Special #4. In the end, they’re both fantastic, but the Café de Olla wins. Thankfully, the cassia bark aka cinnamon has calmed down in the Café de Olla.

This is a mouthful of coffee and not a whole lot of other flavors. There’s a subtle hint of the sweetness from the maple. It would have been better if Goose Island stuck with the base stout instead of the thinner, less malty, less flavorful oatmeal.

Bourbon County Vertical 2023

Starting to take on some aged characteristics, but not in a bad way.

Bourbon County Vertical 2022

This is really holding up very well. Lots of barrel, smooth/silky mouthfeel, and lots of chocolate and roasted malt.

Bourbon County Vertical 2021

Vertical 2020

Has aged very well. Lots of dark, roasted malt and booziness.

Lots of dark chocolate and roasted malt. Thin for BC.

Put some cold brewed coffee in. yumm

8 year vertical

Really good, smooth, boozy, rich and roasty.

Great fresh.

Tons of banana on the nose and palate. Slight hint of coconut, followed by dark chocolate, and finishes with more banana. Very good and complex.

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.

So much coffee. Not sure this has changed much in 3 years. The cinnamon just ends up adding a butter finish.

Did a side by side with 2019 Café de Olla and 2020 Special #4. In the end, they’re both fantastic, but the Café de Olla wins. Thankfully, the cassia bark aka cinnamon has calmed down in the Café de Olla.

Coffee in this is tasting really nice. I still hope they go back to a coffee only BA stout, but this is good. The base also shines through with a lot of dark chocolate and malt.

This seems like it has changed a bit since being fresh. Overwhelming amount of rich, dark chocolate and malt with just a hint of the coffee, orange and cinnamon.

Lots of coffee up from that gives way to the acidity of the orange peel and spice of the cassia bark. The finish is dark roasted malt, that leads into dark chocolate and heat. Still prefer 2015/6 coffee over any subsequent release so far.

This has aged nicely. Still a bit on the sweet side for me, but reminiscent of a barleywine otherwise. Subtle hint of the barrel.

Aged nicely. A little sweet, but very good.