Jet black (some very small ruby red highlights) with very little head at all. A little lacing, this is a bit short on looks apart from the deeply opaque body.

Slight smokiness, with alcohol and small chocolate overtones make up the nose.

Mouthfeel is good, as expected for a high alcohol stout.

Tastes are espresso based with alcoholic warmth and some smoke to the fore. Some sweetness, but its not cloying or sickly like some beers of the style with high ABV. More bitter hops in the finish than some others in the style, and overall there is a lack of the silky smoothness that I have come to expect from the style. A little rougher around the edges than some others, a bit of a more grown-up drink than others of the same style.