Apr 25, 2017

Cigar City Vanilla Hazelnut Marshal Zhukov’s

I know that Cigar City brews stouts. Their Hunahpu’s has it’s own release day due to the fervor that has built around it every year. Myself, I’ve only ever enjoyed their IPAs and hoppy collaborations, having neverhad the pleasure of crossing paths with any of their stouts let alone the base Marshal Zuhkov’s Russian Imperial Stout. I did, however, happen to find a bottle of this vanilla and hazelnut variant back in late January.

And this big 11.5% ABV Russian imperial stout is outstanding. It’s as full-bodied as any stout I’ve ever had, slowly oozing across the tongue with a thick,
viscous character that carries flavors of espresso, molasses, an earthy nuttiness and vanilla with ease. A soft char, caramel and touch of anise are present throughout the experience. Vanilla Hazelnut Marshal Zhukov’s has an overall earthy and robust nature, but does have a finer, slightly decadent edge that gives the brew a dynamic, layered character.

I’m really impressed with this Russian imperial stout. It’s earthy yet decadent and carries a ton of flavor from start to long lasting finish. It’s a sipper to be sure and was thoroughly enjoyed on a cold January afternoon. Now, I just need to keep my fingers crossed that the company plans on brewing this variant again next year.