For our seventh and final release with Tom Joy, we had to go big. This Speyside barrel-aged imperial stout is rich, sticky and thick. This is Tom Joy’s final Patrons Project release. Over to Tom for the final say: “This beer is released at a major moment of my life, as I return to the North happier, healthier and more grown than I was when this series started. “This image, much like its composition, represents a moment of reflection of what has been, what’s here now, and what’s to come. The scene is from the Isle of Skye during an annual wild camping trip with some of my closest friends, and a truly unforgettable adventure. “Choosing it wasn’t very easy to wrap up this collection, but it sits well amongst what’s been, I hope you can enjoy its contents here and now, and look forward to what mad concoctions Northern Monk has in store for the future with their new Patrons. This one goes out to Coco though.” Brewed with a high proportion of crystal malts for a rich depth of sticky dark fruit and toffee character. Backed up by chocolate and brown malt for flavours of toasted bread, bitter dark chocolate and tobacco. We smoked a portion of the base barley malt over Speyside wood chips to bring smokey whiskey background. The fermented beer was then aged for nine months in freshly emptied Speyside whiskey barrels.