Old Dominion Morning Glory

It's been a while since I've had a stout.  Even longer since I've tried a coffee stout.  So when I found Old Dominion's Morning Glory Espresso Stout in my keezer, I thought, what the hell, why not?

Vittles:
Imperial Stout
9% abv
35 IBU

Appearance: 9/10
It's dark.  Very, very dark, and near opaque.  Light gets lost in this beer.  The inch and a half of tan head retained decently and left mild lacing as it fell.

Aroma: 20/25
As I've mentioned before, I usually try to pick up on the malt notes first, but the coffee aroma was much more prominent than the malt.  I was expecting mild to moderate coffee notes, but this was a bit stronger than that.  Once I got past all that coffee, I could smell the roasted grains, some chocolate, and more mild hints of toffee and caramel.

Taste: 33/40
The taste was also dominated by coffee flavors, and the rest of the stout flavors (roasted malt, chocolate, toffee, molasses, caramel) seemed like an afterthought.  The flavors weren't balanced all that well.  It's not that the flavors were bad or not enjoyable -- I enjoyed this beer quite a bit -- it's just that I would have enjoyed it more if the stout flavors were a bit stronger (or if the coffee flavors were a bit more subdued).

Mouthfeel: 8/10
It's creamy, almost velvet-like, but it's also a little thin.  The carbonation was on the low side.  I was expecting just a bit more carbonation, and I think that would've helped it feel more full-bodied.

Style: 4/5
It hits most of the points for the style, but the IBUs are low (most likely because they were adding enough extra bitterness with the coffee beans) and the flavors are out of balance.

Drinkability: 8/10
For a 9% abv beer, this is surprisingly drinkable.  As I was drinking it, I would have guessed somewhere in the 6-7% range, so I was kind of surprised to see 9% when I looked it up online.  I'm not sure I'd want to pair this one with a meal (except maybe breakfast) since the coffee flavors are so bold.  I'd rather enjoy it by itself.

Overall: 82/100
I can see enjoying this beer on a chilly fall evening, sitting by a fire.  Or having one after coming in from shoveling snow.  It's a strong-flavored beer, and the coffee and other flavors are apparent, but not overly complex.  I'd be interested in trying other beers from this brewer.

Cheers!