beer_name: La Tabachéra
text: Poured from 500mL swing-top bottle into a pint glass. Appearance: extremely hazy medium-brown hue with a thin layer of ivory head. Not bad, but it doesn't inspire me. Smell: the aroma's got what I like: a thick maltiness with dark fruits, raisin, hints of cherry, and just a bit of an alcohol bite. Can't wait to dig in. Taste: not quite as "on" as the aroma. Subtle malt character is reduced, and alcohol heat is increased quite a bit. There's still a little good malt flavor here, but all finesse is out the window. It's not horrible, but I'm not impressed. Mouthfeel: medium body; relatively chewy. Carbonation and silkiness are low, though, so I can't say I love it. Still, it's not too bad. Drinkability: this beer isn't horrible, but it's definitely my least-favorite dopplebock. The alcohol really builds on the palate here as kind of a burning. I'm glad I tried it, but unless I find myself stranded in San Marino, I'm not likely to have this one again.