Mikkeller Brewdog Black Tokyo* Horizon

Nøgne Ø Black Tokyo* Horizon is a collaboration brew between Mikkeller, Brewdog & Nøgne Ø based on their 3 respective supernatural imperial stouts, Mikkeller Black, Brewdog Tokyo* & Nøgne Ø Dark Horizon which was then aged in Glen Moray whiskey casks and with pure cacao.

Tokyo* was originally brewed with jasmine, cranberries and aged on French toasted oak chips, this beer has gone from 12% to a whopping 18.2%. Mikkeller Black is made with both ale and champagne yeast and uses dark cassonade sugar which basically is a type of brown sugar like demerarar. NøgneØ Dark Horizon is a 15.5% Imperial Stout with tons of coffee, sugars and wine yeast used in the production.

Had the pleasure of tasting Brewdog Tokyo* and BlackTokyo* Horizon at the SBWF 2011 with Marius one of the founders of CaskSweden/CaskNorway. Before I go into reviewing just Black Tokyo* Horizon I must say that I preferred Tokyo* probably because it has less sweetness.

As back as coal, as black as sin, as black as night and black as motor oil, the initial dark brown head on this beer does not last that long. Aroma was very complex as expected, dark roasted beans, charred oak, soya, liquorice, dark chocolate, syrupy and nutty.With such high levels of alcohol it is often hard to distinguish aromas and flavors in such brews, over time as the beer warms up these usually come through but also the alcohol gets hotter. Alcohol was in the aroma but not burning in any way, hard roasted malt and coffee beans, some rum on the nose and vanilla, slightly burnt and tar also.

Right from the beginning this was quite a sweet brew with flavours of dark chocolate, heavy roasted malts and possibly some dark dried fruits like raisins and prunes. Alcohol but not overpowering and lots of cocoa and dark chocolate, a true hardcore sugar & alcohol bomb that seems to be well tamed. The body to this beer is very filling, sticky, oily and leaves a heavy thick coating in the mouth, smoky to bitter finish. This is a super balanced brew where the alcohol is there but well hidden for the most part, with such sweetness the ageing possibilities of this beers is huge.

I really hope I can get hold of at least 2 bottles when it is release here in Sweden 1st November.Would have preferred to have tasted the 2 other beers in this blend for reference purpose, still love this big sipping beer that is the perfect after drink.