To be sure, Victory Brewing Company really hyped its Dark Intrigue, which the label says is a malt beverage aged in bourbon barrels. Victory announced that their crown-corked 750 ML bottles of Dark Intrigue would be sold to the public at a special release event at the brewery on November 23^rd, “Dark Wednesday” as they called it.  Sales would be limited to a case of 12 per customer max for $180; single bottles would go for $15. No volume discount here, folks.

Now, I love Victory as much as the next guy, but let me tell you, I am not a fan of these brewery release events. Supposedly, fans started lining up early to buy bottles of Dark Intrigue, and I for one hate standing in lines. I did not go to Victory on November 23^rd, and I did not buy my Dark Intrigue there.

No, I got my bottle at Sherlock’s in Marietta, Georgia in 2012. My bottle says it was bottled on November 10^th, 2011, so is from the original run. Apparently there was no need for those case limits if Victory didn’t sell out on the 23^rd.

The back of the label says:

Since its arrival in 1997, our Storm King Stout has enticed folks to “discover the dark intrigue” as its label suggests. While enjoying that great imperial stout, we have been intrigued by the myriad of flavors it exhibits, and encouraged to test the limits of perception and pleasure by adding to the rich experience of Storm King Stout. So here you have such an exploration, involving Storm King Stout aged in oak barrels that once matured Kentucky bourbon. Blended to perfection, this one is surely dark and intriguing! Cheers.

Victory Dark Intrigue has an alcohol content of 9.1% by volume. It is a bottle conditioned beer, and I paid $12.99 for mine, which is ironically less than what folks paid at the brewery back in November of 2011.

Victory Dark Intrigue pours to a jet black color with a thick rocky tan head formation and a big chocolate and licorice nose.  Taking a sip, the beer has an incredibly thick and luxurious mouthfeel packed with hints of chocolate, raisin, licorice, and dark cocoa. In a lot of ways, this beer reminded me of the base beer, Victory Storm King Imperial Stout, but in a less hoppy way.

So what’s missing? The oak again character. I do get some, to be fair, a little bourbon booziness and a hint of wood. But it’s a lot more subtle than I would expect in a beer from Victory, especially one that has been hyped so highly. At $12.99 a bottle, I can do better for my money, with other beers aged on oak that impart more of that character. As much as I love Victory beers, I probably would not buy Dark Intrigue again. I would have been disappointed indeed had I waited in line hours for this beer.

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