Hopped and Bothered; Deschutes the Abyss 2012 (Opened 12/12)

Deschutes -- The Abyss 2012

I shot this myself. DOP ftw.

Alcohol content 11.1%. The pour is cough syrup thick. The best after date is 11/01/13. So I am pouring this a year before they recommend. Which is why I bought two bottles at $13 a pop.

So. The pour is a thick, mean bugger. A glint of head that quickly leaves me staring into the Abyss. The smell is hints of oak, a gasp of vanilla, malt and a lot of alcohol. The initial sip is coffee, swinging the pendulum quickly between bitter and sweet, with a hefty alcohol heat that obscures a lot of the taste. I get hints of molasses, oak, espresso and a kiss of licorice. Mostly, alcohol heat.

The finish is strong and this is where the bourbon comes out. Very heavy, weighty around the throat, leaving you with a bit of cat tongue. An excellent flavor that is buried beneath the alcohol content.

Buy if: you plan on aging this bad boy until after the best after date.

Overall: definitely worth it if you plan on aging it. The flavors are most certainly there, but the time needed to let it balance a bit will test your discipline.

4 out of 5.

--Nick