Saturday, January 18, 2014

Mendocino Talon Smoked Double Porter (Cask)

On Cask Tap - Rattle and Hum, NYC

This (double) porter pours a dark espresso brown, about half an inch of halfway between khaki and espresso head.

Off the nose you get a strong bit of dark fruit, but of chocolate and smoke as well, really nice blend and balance on the scent. First sip hits you pretty quickly with a strong, nice smoke flavor with subtle yet semi-powerful hints of chocolate. Fades into a bit of honeyed dark fruit sweetness. A little espresso in there as well.

The fruit is a little confusing - maybe a little bit of plum and cherry? Some orange in there as well? Tough to put a finger on the exact fruit, but it creates a nice balance.

The amount of smoke limits the drink-ability, but its a strong sipper nonetheless. Alcohol content is hidden very well (considering the ABV is not listed), but it might be a little high considering the punch it packed.

Can't find this beer on BeerAdvocate, which is extremely weird, maybe it's an uncommon beer or a very limited release (though BA is good at being on top of these types of things).

Overall Rating: 4/5

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