22 ounce bottle into snifter, bottled in 9/2012. Pours dense pitch black color with a 2 finger dense dark tan head with good retention, that reduces to a small cap that lingers. Light spotty soapy lacing clings around the glass, with some light streaming carbonation. Aromas of big chocolate, cocoa, molasses, toast, toffee, dark bread, raisin, prune, leather, tobacco, herbal, and roast/toasted earthiness. Very nice aromas with good balance and complexity of dark/roasted/bready malt, dark fruit, and earthy hop notes; with good strength. Taste of huge dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee, molasses, toffee, toast, dark bread, raisin, prune, leather, tobacco, light char, herbal, and roast/toasted earthiness. Fair amount of roast/char/herbal bitterness on the finish; with lingering notes of dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee, molasses, toffee, toast, dark bread, raisin, prune, leather, tobacco, light char, and roast/toasted earthiness on the finish for a while. Damn nice complexity and balance of dark/roasted/bready malt, dark fruit, and earthy hop flavors; with a nice roasted bitterness/sweetness balance and no cloying sweetness after the finish. Light-medium carbonation and very full bodied; with a very creamy, slick, and lightly syrupy/chalky mouthfeel that is nice. Alcohol is well hidden with only a moderate warming present after the finish. Overall this is an excellent strong ale. All around great complexity and balance of dark/roasted/bready malt, dark fruit, and earthy hop flavors; and smooth to sip on slowly for the huge ABV. A very enjoyable offering.