Craft Beer Monday Review: Central Waters Bourbon Barrel Stout

I have had a few imperial stouts before (Two Brothers Northwind Stout and Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout, for example) but this is the first bourbon barrel stout, and it was quite a bold flavored brew that has so much coming at you all at once.
It poured black and thick into my pint glass and had an amber head that exploded in charcoal and foresty smells, and the first taste kicked you in the head with heavy alcohol, oaky tartness and rich maltiness. Very little sweetness prevailed, due to the overpowering alcohol punch.
Like many other higher gravity beers this needed to be a slow sipper and a long time to enjoy fully. I split a 12 oz bottle with Steve-O and was glad I did.
In terms of reviewing, this poses a little bit of a challenge to me. It definitely is a well crafted beer and was probably expensive and difficult to make, yet, on the other hand, my goal is to review beers for the beer drinker, and not necessarily for the gourmet sipper. Therefore, I am giving it a CBC rating of 4.
It is the kind of beer I would split and only buy one of, which is what I did here, purchasing just the single bottle at Binny's.
ABV: 9.5%.
Actual name is Central Waters Brewers Reserve Bourbon Barrel Stout.