Why did I buy this stuff? OMG, opened on last night and thought I was drinking something that had been left to sit in a charcoal-lined barrel for 10 months prior to bottling. Just could not get past the charcoal flavors in this otherwise very intense, rich CdP. Not for me.
Terry - Thanks for the note. Trying to understand the charcoal issue. Are you saying too toasty? I tried it on release. Didn’t leave a big impression, one way or the other which was surprising as I was expecting a more modern style with ample oak. I’m going to hold my last one for a while.
Finishing it off as I type. Tonight I baked a ham, and for a sauce I made the “dried cherry and stout sauce” found in Cook’s Illustrated’s The New Best Recipe. Bought some Genius stout for the recipe, and took a sip or three given it only called for 4 cups stout. That’s it - in the Tardieu-Laurent CdP - almost a maltiness found in a stout or really dark beer (what I associated with charcoal). Hope that helps better describe it!