Appearance

The Twa Dogs Parting Kiss comes in a tall bottle with an attractive modern font and clear labeling with what appears to be some Celtic designs above the label. The bottle cap is black with white lettering of the brewery name and symbol. The beer pours like a brown or amber ale with a normal size white head.

Aroma

Nosing the beer, I pick up aromas of sweet ale, some floral character and some bourbon barrel notes underneath. I’m surprised that the bourbon character isn’t overwhelming on the aroma. I often find that any sort of bourbon barrel tends to be the dominant smell and flavor.

Flavor

As I drink, I find the flavor presents as malty sweetness up front with a mild effervescent mouthfeel coating my palate. The bourbon barrel notes are there but I’m surprised to find them subdued. The flavor throughout is pleasant, but not overpowering or fatiguing.

Balance

The sweetness and bourbon nature is well balanced. As I mentioned in the flavor, I’m surprised that the bourbon character doesn’t take over the profile.

Finish

The effervescent mouthfeel finishes each sip, bringing with it some of the malty sweetness. I didn’t find the finish brought anything new or interesting to the overall profile, so I rated it average.

Overall

The Twa Dogs Parting Kiss shows you can make a beer with bourbon barrel character that isn’t defined by that barrel aging. I found the flavors to be pleasant, balanced and enjoyable throughout. I’d pick up another one of these without hesitation.

John McTavish

SCORE

6.50

Cost/Point

$0.89

Scoring System

Personal Beer Review: Twa Dogs Parting Kiss