This beer is judged as a Winter Seasonal Beer (30C). The brewer describes this beer as an imperial milk stout with spices, honey and maple syrup. The aroma is strongly influenced by the honey and maple syrup with a particularly rich maple overtone. Clove or allspice is also detectable along with a generally malty aroma, all of which combine to create a fairly complex and enjoyable nose that definitely invokes the wintertime. The appearance is very dark and nearly opaque with a fine tan head along the rim of the glass. The flavor is sweet from honey and maple syrup with a dryish note from dark roast and/or chocolate malts. The spice flavor, either clove or allspice, is properly restrained, but clearly adds another layer of flavor to this beer. I am reminded of graham crackers, but ones layered with a rich, treacle-like quality and a finish of very dark chocolate/cacao. Hop bitterness provides balance, but is firmly a supporting character. The beer has a medium body with some astringency from the dark malts. A hint of alcoholic warmth, but not at all burning, is also present on the palate. Overall this is a very enjoyable winter warmer, assuming you are not averse to maple syrup. It is a beer that strongly suggests the holiday/winter spirit in a manner that is not like some winter beers that hit you like a runaway Santa's sleigh on Christmas eve. Instead, this is a winter beer that serves up many facets, all very seasonal, that invoke memories of the season. Find one of these, put it in your favorite age-appropriate partner’s stocking, and build a warm evening fire to drink this around sometime this winter season. Let the holiday memories that follow take you to a wonderful place – we all deserve the escape this beer can momentarily provide in 2020.