Millstream Barrel Aged Back Road Stout

This is a barrel-aged version of the Back Road Stout from the Millstream Brewing Company of Amana, Iowa. They have been brewing since 1985. The regular version of this beer is 6.7% ABV, and I don't know if the barrel-aged version has a different ABV. It is my understanding they used whiskey barrels from Eastern Iowa's Cedar Ridge distillery.

The beer pours black in color. There is almost no carbonation and no head at all. The aroma is dark roasted malts, toasted oak and oats, dark fruits, vanilla, bourbon. The taste follows the aromas directly, dark roasted malts, a light touch of coffee notes and char notes; dark fruits, especially cherries; toasted oak with vanilla; and the taste and vapors of bourbon whiskey. The beer drinks smooth, and close to still. There is a moderate bitterness on the finish, which is also dry and not sweet. This has a lot of nice parts, but as a whole, it feels a bit incomplete. It might just need some more body and carbonation. The Barrel Aged Schild Brau Amber was more successful at what it was trying to do than this one, for me anyway.