Portland’s Deschutes Brewery tried to pull a fast one on us – in the middle of summer (aka refreshing light beer season), they sneakily released their bourbon and Jamaican rum barrel-aged Black Butte XXIX. Maybe they were trying to avoid the fan frenzy, but savvy craft drinkers are still seeing through this misdirection, hunting it down, and making it one of the most coveted special releases of 2017 with a 4.23 on Untappd.

Part of their special-edition Birthday Reserve series, the Black Butte XXIX is a spiced barrel-aged take on the original award-winning Black Butte Porter base, with brand-new adornments for the brewery’s 29th birthday. Along with the innovative combo of aging it in rum and bourbon barrels, Deschutes adds real Dutched cocoa, Saigon cinnamon, and cayenne, taking it to even roastier, spicier, and more chocolatey levels of depth.

Dark rum aromas float from a pitch black pour. Swirling with rich dark chocolate, a hint of coconut, and notes of deeply roasted espresso, Black Butte XXIX sips like a rum-spiked iced mocha. Burnt molasses notes rise from the caramelly-vanilla bourbon, mingling with warm cinnamon that hints at its 12.2% ABV depths. A hint of cayenne blends with the boozy bite in the finish.

Last year’s release received a perfect 100 on BeerAdvocate, and we’re sure this year’s mocha rum boozebomb will score a 100, too. With only a limited number of these dark treasures in existence, this’ll be the version that only the snobbiest of beer snobs will be talking about for years to come.

Rated 4.23 on Untappd