This is an extremely historically relevant beer that has a massive cult following here and across the pond. It define the scope of barrel aged stouts and european execution arguably in the same scope as Kaggen, but I wasn’t all jazzed about it. I love the body, I love the restraint and massive cask saturation, I enjoy the deep roast and lightly bitter finish, but there are huge polarizing aspects that particularly fg 1.050+ residual sugar babies embrace. The cask on this takes intense black licorice and anise from Abyss to a massive new Dundersalt level but without the tempering viscosity. The barrel ironically has a deep American oak profile with waves of grape hookah and tobacco to the swallow. Obviously I embrace the “other” king Henry far more but this is unquestionably well made, just not for me. It’s like how you can watch Tree of Life and be like “ah, I can see how someone would like this” while perhaps not investing your own aesthetic vote of confidence. The shamrock shake version was legitimately delicious, not doing a bit. It tasted like a Girl Scout thin mint, but this might not be the most economical drink after getting GKH thought customs. GO SHAMKINGS GO