Brilliant dark amber color. Grainy aromas of toasted grain in a burlap sack, saddle soap and leather soap, rye flour with dark honey, and clay riverbank with a supple, dryish medium body and a peppery, delightful, long spiced dried stone fruits, chocolate raisin cake with chestnut honey, cedar, and smoked peppercorn finish. A dark and roasted grainy malt with a round, masculine style.
92 points, Beverage Testing Institute (Jun 2018)
Look for a deep amber hue and dried cherry and date aromas. The palate opens big and spicy, showing black pepper, cayenne and clove around a juicy red fruit core. Adding water mutes the peppery sting. Most of the flavor is on the drying finish, showing prune, cocoa powder and a final peppery tingle.
90 points, Kara Newman, Wine Enthusiast (Dec 2021)