Coronado Brewing 'Stupid Stout 2015' Imperial Stout. Crown Series. 9% abv. 42 IBU. Black in color with a finger of thick rich mocha head. Excellent retention and lace. Nose of coffee, dark chocolate, earth. Front taste of bittersweet chocolate, dark fruit, vanilla on the back. Aftertaste of cocoa powder, bitter plum, raisins, dank earthy hops on the sustain, with a dry finish. Medium-full body. Mouthfeel is hot, creamy, sticky, silky.

This is an outstanding imperial stout that sits firmly and shiny in its category. The aroma promises chocolate and coffee, delivering with deep rich flavors all the way through. Ribbons of bitter fruit and vanilla sit under each sip, helping to create a round taste and feel that can only improve with age if you choose to sit on a bottle. Wonderful brew. Highly recommended.

From the brewery:

"This deep, dark, viscous brew stands up to other imperial stouts as well as the test of time, delivering defined, robust, chocolaty notes with a hint of hop freshness. As this beer ages, those big flavors mellow, leaving behind a smooth, balanced sipper. It's the perfect beer to warm up with as winter cold sets in, or as part of a vertical tasting session many years from now."

[source: bottle]

Oliva 'Serie G' Special. 3.75x48. Excellent build with a perfecto foot. Dark roasted brown wrap. Cut and lit very well. Draw was hard pre-light, easier along the burn, partially due to the narrow foot at the start. First half tastes of sweated leaf, charred hard wood, bitter herbal. Second half is roasted tobacco, black coffee, rich botanical, pepper notes. Aroma is toasted spice, pepper, dark coffee grounds. Burn was mostly even throughout. Ash was shades of medium-dark gray at initial burn, lighter shades down toward the band. Ash held an inch before the drop.

This is a good brief smoke. The taste is dark and peppery for what I anticipated would be a milder Cameroon stick, and the ash was not as clean as I'd like. I've reviewed cigars from this line before and based on those prior sessions today's nitpicks may be due to storage issues. I'm familiar with Oliva cigars, going back decades, so I'm eager to try yet another 'G' as a follow-up. Still, it was a nice half-hour smoke, aggressive but rich and flavorful. Recommended.

From the company:

“Serie G is a medium body blend made with an African-Cameroon wrapper. The unique flavor notes of this wrapper are complemented by the natural richness of Nicaraguan Habano fillers. Blending Notes: Medium body with notes of cedar and coffee. Aging: Cameroon is a thin wrapper with little oils, its flavor will change little from aging.”

[source: olivacigar.com]

“​Flavorful, well-made Nicaraguans. Oliva Serie ’G’ is a good-looking Nicaraguan premium cigar made with an authentic African Cameroon wrapper. This leaf imparts a pleasant, nutty flavor, adding to the rich bouquet presented by the Nicaraguan Habano long-fillers inside. Overall, a rich, medium-bodied cigar with hints of coffee, nuts and wo​od on the aftertaste. Serie ’G’ cigars received a stellar ’91’ rating.”

[source: cigarsinternational.com]

Olivia 'Serie V' Ligero Especial Torpedo. 6x56. Medium brown wrap. Excellent construction with straight lines and smoothed veins. Medium draw pre-light. Slightly harder draw post-light during the first third, a medium draw from there. Cut well. Lighting took a few minutes of roasting. First half taste is roasty herbal leaf, earthy spice, leather. Second half is hard wood, ground coffee notes, earthy herbal in the exhale, background spice. Burn was uneven during the first third, but was easily corrected. Ash was clean, light gray with mild marbling. Ash held over two inches with ease. Medium-full body. Aroma was mild tobacco with faint cocoa powder.

This is an excellent cigar. The tobacco blend offers a small variety of tastes, including mild and medium leaf, coffee, herbal, and hints of spice. The build quality is superb and the execution was excellent, save for the brief uneven burn.

I've long been a fan of the entirety of Oliva's lineup, starting long ago with their value line Flor de Oliva, and though my palate has grown over the past 20 years I still consider Oliva smokes a treat. Their 'Serie V' cigars are considered among their top shelf offerings, and it's clear as to why. Most of you cigar aficionados have surely had this classic stick, but I still urge you to go out and enjoy one nonetheless. Highly recommended.

From the company:

"Serie V is a complex blend of Nicaraguan long filler tobaccos. Blended with specially fermented Jalapa Valley ligero, and finished with a high priming Habano Sun Grown Wrapper. This cigar is blended to deliver full body taste while maintaining an unparalleled smoothness. This flavorful blend exhibits complex tobacco with rich coffee and dark chocolate tones."

[source: olivascigar.com]

The burn was slightly uneven in the first third but was easily corrected.

Over two inches of ash clung easily as I approached the band.

Schubros Brewery 'Inverness' Bourbon Barrel Wee Heavy. Passport Series 2015. 11.7% abv. Black in color. Thin tan head. Moderate retention and low lacing. Nose of oak, sweet malt, dark fruit, earth. Front taste of bittersweet fruit, dark malt, plums. Aftertaste of bourbon, pungent dark fruit, currants, fruity hops. Full body. Mouthfeel is warm-hot, thick, grainy.

This is an extraordinary beer. The barrel aging is present starting in the aroma on through to the aftertaste. The flavors of rich malt, dark fruit, and fruity bitter hops blend together with that woodsy bourbon backbone. Outstanding. Strongly recommended.

From the brewery:

"Right on the heels of the overwhelmingly successful Kirov Russian Imperial Stout, Schubros has released Inverness—a Scottish-style Wee Heavy and the latest addition to our Passport Series. Aged in bourbon barrels, this beer is surprisingly smooth with just the right amount of sweetness. Though at a whopping 11.7% ABV, you may have to remind yourself not to go a wee overboard. The Schubros Passport series has been a tradition since 2013 with the release of Saméon, a French-style Saison. Traditionally packaged in 750mL champagne bottles, sealed with wax, and topped off with a hand-tied tag, these limited brews are as elegant in style as they are in taste. Already boasting over four stars on Untappd, Inverness has proven itself as a craft-crowd favorite. In fact, the response from the release party on April 25th was irrefutably positive. Inverness is available for purchase in both bottles and growlers at the Schubros taproom as well as local businesses throughout the Bay Area. Not convinced? Stop by the brewery and order yourself a glass. You won't be disappointed."

[source: schubrosbrewery.com]

"Deep brown with ruby highlights, Inverness is a bourbon barrel aged Scottish-style ale that boasts rich malty flavors of dried fruit and honey."
[source: bottle]

Full Sail Brewing 'Double Bock' Lager. 7% abv. 34 IBU. Dark brown color. Finger of cream colored head that falls quickly to a brief collar. Poor retention. No lace. Nose of rich caramel malt, chocolate notes. Front taste of dark roasty malt, chocolate, black coffee on the back. Aftertaste of bittersweet chocolate, raisins, espresso. Thin-medium body. Mouthfeel is warm, flat.

This is a good malty beer with a few flaws that you may or may not overlook. The tall flavors of caramel and chocolate are coupled well with notes of coffee and dark fruit but are underminded by low-to-no carb almost immediately off the pour. The rich aroma is an excellent first impression but the flat mouthfeel and thin body are an unfortunate last impression. All that being said, try this brew if you love rich malty flavors with touches of fruit and coffee. This beer's strengths may just outweigh its weaknesses. Mildly recommended.

From the brewery:

"A rich, full-bodied lager with hints of caramel, coffee and chocolate. LIMITED EDITION LAGER - AVAILABLE FOR 90 DAYS ONLY. JANUARY-MARCH. After a long day on the mountain carving turns in deep powder, snowboarders and skiers make their way down the mountain to warm up and relive all those great runs in our pub. Our Double Bock helps fuel the stories of deep powder and epic yard sales. Double Bock is lush and full-bodied with hints of caramel, coffee and chocolate in the aroma followed by flavors of caramel and dried figs with a long creamy smooth finish. Brewed with 2 row Pale, Munich, Caramel, and Chocolate Malts and hopped with Santiam and Perle hops, this gold medal winner will be available in six packs on draft."

[source: fullsailbrewing.com]

Retention was very low. This pic was taken three minutes after the pour.

Oliva 'Serie G' Churchill. 7x50. Medium brown wrap. Nice box build with straight lines and smoothed veins. Good cut and light. Medium draw pre-light, quickly becomes smoother draw post-light. First third has a taste of rich Cameroon leaf and bright notes of allspice. Second third has light wood notes, creamy wrap, nutty exhale. Closer to the band, the spice mellows but the woodsy flavor retains with a mild leaf exhale. Burn is even throughout. Ash is clean, light gray, holds well at two inches.

This is a solid cigar, one that I've enjoyed many times. A good go-to cigar with exceptional craft, a punchy flavor in the first half followed by a creamy taste in the second. I’ve always been a Cameroon fan, and this stick is a delight. Highly recommended.

From the company:

"Serie G is a medium body blend made with an African-Cameroon wrapper. The unique flavor notes of this wrapper are complemented by the natural richness of Nicaraguan Habano fillers."
[source: olivacigar.com]

I enjoyed this Oliva G on the sidewalks of the Tower District during the Rogue Festival. My sister and a bug mug of chocolate chai tea accompanied my smoke.

Highwater Brewing 'Whiskey Thief.' Tributary Series. 9.2% abv. Copper color. Thin white head that falls to a sustaining ring. Low retention. Good lacing. Nose of grain, faint spice, slightly sweet malt. Whiskey aroma appears once the temp drops. Front taste of smoke, malt, whiskey background. Aftertaste of whiskey, smoked grain, herbal. Medium-full body. Mouthfeel is hot, astringent.

This is an excellent beer. The whiskey flavor profile is clear and present, especially once the temp drops. The smoke flavor is not overpowering but rather an accent on the beer. Highly recommended.

This is a collaboration brew, crafted by Highwater Brewing, Pine Street Brewery, Uncommon Beers, and Bison Brewing.

EDIT: One of our readers, Andrew S., requested the name of the pub where I enjoyed Whiskey Thief. He had spoken with brewers at Highwater, who were also curious. I can tell you that this lovely beer was on tap at Peeve's Public House in Downtown Fresno, one of my regularly haunts.

From the brewery:

"This year’s collaboration included Bison Brewing, High Water Brewing, Pine Street Brewery and Uncommon Brewers (the host brewery).... Inspired by their second favorite beverage–whiskey–the motley crew of (oddly enough) beardless brewers decided to brew a super boozy and viscously smokey Strong Scotch Ale. Aptly named the Whiskey Thief, the beer was brewed with a blend of specialty malts, beechwood and peat-smoked malts, housemade candy sugar and “dry-hopped” with heather. Whiskey Thief fills the nose with soft hints of smoke, toffee, roasted nuts and dried flowers. Once you get a sip, KAPOW!!! Rich flavors of caramel and toffee bombard the tongue––slowly breaking away to reveal a deep layer of smokey, peaty goodness. If whiskey and beer had a baby, this would be it."
[source: craftbeer.com]

Full Sail 'Wassail' Winter Ale. 7.2% abv. 56 IBU. Dark brown in color, nearly black. A finger of thick head slowly falls to half. Good retention, outstanding lacing. Nose is malty, sweet, spicy, alcohol. Front taste is roasted malt, caramel, chocolate, dark fruit. Aftertaste has a nice long sustain with strong alcohol, ample piercing hops, caramel, vanilla, dark chocolate. Dry finish, a contrast to its sticky mouthfeel. Medium-full body. Mouthfeel is thick, sticky, creamy, warm-hot. This is an excellent winter warmer. Fans of winter/xmas beers should seek out this limited edition brew. Highly recommend.

From the brewery:

"This holiday treat is deep mahogany in color, has a full malty body and a pleasantly hoppy finish. LIMITED EDITION ALE - AVAILABLE FOR 90 DAYS ONLY. OCTOBER-DECEMBER. A few unmistakable signs tell us when winter has arrived here in Hood River. The waterfalls in the Gorge start kicking out the jams. The snow report for the backcountry regains its hold over us. And the Wassail starts flowing once again. We’ve brewed Wassail every holiday season since 1988, and it’s now as much a part of the festivities as sharing a roaring fire with our closest family and friends. It's no wonder this multi-medal winning Winter Warmer is one of our favorite beers to brew. Choosing our ingredients for Wassail is like taking time to choose the perfect gift. Each year we carefully select the best hops and malts to brew this special beer. This year’s Wassail is brewed with a range of caramel malts and dark chocolate malts giving it a deep mahogany color and a full malty body. We used a blend of Pacific Northwest hops for a pleasant hoppy aroma and finish creating a deliciously balanced beer that appeals to both hop and malt lovers alike. In other words, a Christmas miracle."

Head retention was good, but the lacing was magnificent, all the way down.