Charbay – S 211A Hop Flavored Whiskey (75cl, 49.5%)

This is a hop-flavoured whiskey from Charbay in Ukiah, California, bottled at 49.5% in a 75cl bottle. It was distilled in February 2011 from Bear Republic's Big Bear Black Stout, a beer that Marko Karakasevic admired for its roasty caramel malt character balanced by Centennial and Cascade hops. The stout was double-distilled in the family's copper Alambic Charentais pot still, then aged for 29 months in used French oak. The "A" in the batch name stands for aged. The nose brings dark chocolate, toffee and fruit such as ripe honeydew, Asian pear and red plum. The palate is layered, with dry malt, juicy fruit, savoury wood spice and chocolate, and the finish is sweet, light and refreshing.