Siren Barrel-Aged Caribbean Chocolate Cake Stout (£6, 330ml, 8.5%, Oddbins) From Berkshire's Siren, one of the best of Britain's ever-expanding craft brewing scene, this is a superbly rich, complex and winter-warming brew that evolves in the glass, offering dried citrus peel and lemon zestiness as well as the titular darker flavours of cocoa and roasted coffee bean.
The Chicago Tribute reported in 1882 that the former was the more popular choice for the cocktail in that city, but I prefer the fuller, darker flavour of bourbon, though I'd recommend giving rye a try if you come into a bottle.
Dark flavours of damsons and blackberries, a touch of figs and chocolate and some spice from oak ageing.
It has an aromatic prettiness (violets, lavender) before those deep, dark flavours (fruits of the forest and chocolate) take over.
Altano Douro Quinta do Ataide Reserva, Portugal 2011 (from £12.99, Cambridge Wine Halifax Wine Companyy) Touriga nacional is to the Douro what cabernet sauvignon is to Bordeaux, providing the deep, dark flavours of the area's best red wines.
Plus, the food is so blisteringly good, you need to know about it: duck soup with depths, a salted beef cheek curry full of sweet, dark flavours, deep-fried fish nestling in aromatic herbs and fresh chillies.
"Full bodied and bursting with dark flavour notes".
The dark, roasted flavours of coffee make a fine match for blackcurrant's deeply fruity kick.
The fruit chars slightly on the grill, which enhances its dark, toffeeish flavours.
Robust and full-bodied, with the typical Malbec burst of fresh fruits and smooth dark chocolate flavours.
I love the exotically dark, smoky flavours of Ligurian producer Altavia's 2007 ThEnd (£24.99 Red Squirrel), which unusually for Italy is 100% touriga nacional.
