Jopen B.V. - Sin & Remorse (Scotch Barrel Aged)

This second version of Sin & Remorse is aged for 530 days inside of Bowmore Whisky barrels. The core imperial stout, a collab with De Molen, is brewed with barley, wheat, oats, and rye, with this release emphasizing dark chocolate and peat. Definitely worth trying these two versions of Sin & Remorse side by side to explore their different expressions.

This Bowmore-barrel-aged Sin & Remorse pours a dark-dark chocolate-brown color with medium-brown foam. Nicely retained head, with lingering bubbles along the periphery. The dark chocolate and well-implemented peaty whisky serve a key role in the initial aromatics. The base imperial stout is beautifully handled (as before), and deep chocolate, roasted malt and coffee notes provide a sturdy baseline for the extensive barrel time. Welcome touches of oak alongside a warming whisky presence, amplified as this warms up.

A full-bodied imperial stout with impressive notes of roasted malt, milk and dark chocolates, and rounded smoky whisky character. The peat presence is carefully integrated to the overall construction here without ever seeming over-the-top; there’s a huge imperial stout as ballast, and the peaty whisky serves as more of a secondary note, providing structure alongside the oak tannins from this beer’s barrel aging. An incredibly generous stout with deep chocolate, vibrant whisky elements, and supporting tannins, hops, and darker specialty-malt bitterness keeping everything feeling sufficiently balanced. Lasting finish of dark chocolate, toasty oak, and a touch of lingering Bowmore whisky. Chocolatey and lightly smoky and lovely.

Our bottles show a best-before date of March 2041; this beer will potentially outlast us all. The combo of peat and dark chocolate and impactful stout suggests pairing this with heavier fare, maybe with a bit of smoke attached: grilled steaks, or a focused vanilla- or chocolate-centered dessert to ground things. This would also be an exceptional after-dinner drink with a cigar—maybe even a small glass of Islay scotch to interplay with the beer’s peatiness.