Beer Review: Porters

I have to admit, I generally avoid porters. The heavy, roasted, even burnt, flavor is not my favorite, but I'm trying to acquire a taste for these beers. With that in mind, I wanted to taste examples of the three porter styles (brown, robust, & baltic) side-by-side so I could get a better handle on what sets them apart. Here goes...

Brand: Samuel Smith Taddy Porter
Style: Brown Porter
Aroma: (Score: 6/12) Roasted barley malt plus dark cocoa. Aroma was a bit faint.
Appearance: (2/3) 2 finger tan head dissipates quickly; beer is opaque black with tinges of brown along the sides of the glass.
Flavor: (17/20) Dry, roasted, grainy bitterness from malt; slight dark chocolate and toasted biscuit, dark molasses sweetness in the middle; pleasant bitterness attributable to malt and mineral content of water return; bitterness fades through the finish.
Mouthfeel: (3/5) Medium body; slightly, but noticeably, tannic and astringent; light carbonation.
Overall: (8/10) Generally fits the bill for an English-style brown porter-- roastiness from malt is under control; hop aroma/flavor is not noticeable, but mineral character is.
Total: 36 (Very Good)

Brand: Boulevard Bully! Porter
Style: Robust Porter
Aroma: (10/12) Prominent roasted aroma ranging from dark cocoa to molasses, black raspberry, very slight vinous cabernet, floral hop note.
Appearance: (2/3) 1 finger tan head falls quickly; Opaque black body with very faint brown hue around the edge.
Flavor: (15/20) Dark cocoa on front, very minimal sweetness; black, roasted patent malt bitterness accentuated by hop twang; mineral, almost metallic note toward end; prominent bitterness lingers through a long finish.
Mouthfeel: (3/5) Light-to-moderate carbonation; medium body; creaminess gives way to astringent dryness.
Overall: (7/10) While I don't prefer this style, Boulevard does a decent job giving an American slant to this one-- weaving in more prominent hoppy bitterness than one might expect.
Total: 37 (Very Good)

Brand: Okocim Porter
Style: Baltic Porter
Aroma: (10/12) Sun-dried prunes; (strangely enough), red beefy tomato... followed by powdered hot chocolate, very slight mineral character.
Appearance: (2/3) 1 finger tan head quickly dissipates; opaque black color with mahogany tones at edges.
Flavor: (17/20) Sweet, rich, chocolate; carmelized sugar; warming from sherry-like alcohol character; bitterness never quite takes hold; almost-cloying sweetness remains throughout into a smooth finish.
Mouthfeel: (4/5) Low-to-medium carbonation; creamy body, no astringency as observed in other porter styles; noticeable warmth from alcohol.
Overall: (8/10) A complex, highly-drinkable, porter to sip and enjoy after dinner.
Total: 41 (Excellent)

Next up: porters vs. stouts. It might be a couple of weeks, though, before I feel like jumping into this heavyweight match...