Vermont’s Magic Hat Brewing Company brings a certain ineffable quality — a je ne sais quaff, if you will — even to staple ales like its Humble Patience or Blind Faith. The brewers’ craftsmanship and creativity transcend tried-and-true styles like Irish Red or IPA, ending up with "elixirs" (as they call them) that are as inimitable as they are delectable.

When it comes to the brewery’s Humdinger series, a handmade single-batch run of specialty brews that probes the outer reaches of the craft, that sort of deft touch is even more in evidence. Consider Chaotic Chemistry. Ostensibly a barleywine, it has all the hallmarks of that enigmatic style: rich, heavy, high gravity, high alcohol content (10.8 percent). But from the first sniff, its earthy bouquet bursting with sweet floral and citrus notes, it sets itself apart. That super-smooth, barely bubbly mouthfeel is perfectly suited to the punch of its enormous, malty flavor, dissipating into a dry, hoppy finish. Like barleywines should be, this one was aged — for three full years in charred-oak bourbon casks. God only knows what goes on in those wooden barrels, but it works. As the bottle warms (55 degrees), the competing flavors emerge: caramel, vanilla, orange and grapefruit, an oaky whiskey essence. There are so many competing but concordant tastes it’s sometimes a chore to tell exactly which is which. Chaotic chemistry, indeed.

Happily, this month sees the unveiling of another Humdinger, the aptly named Thumbsucker (if you so much as spill a drop, you’ll find yourself mopping it up and savoring every last bit). Again, this imperial stout exhibits all the characteristics of the style: obsidian black, robust aroma, obscenely rich body, high ABV (7.8 percent). But, again, the Thumbsucker makes its mark. First, there’s the bouquet: scintillating aromas of dark chocolate, potent espresso, hints of licorice and liquor. Then the first sip. It’s smoooth (note the extra "o"). Its sinful lubriciousness might be compared to hot cocoa sloshed with a quart of cream. But the dark temptations at work here are more rewarding than that. The semisweet sapors of roasted malts dominate, but there’s so much more to be found. Dark chocolate. High-test coffee ... a puff of smoke? Was that the faintest bit of bourbon as the hop finish faded? Thumbsucker is aged in used Chaotic Chemistry casks, so it may just have been.

And of course, the Magic Hat folks know how to package special brews like these. They come in dark, smoked-glass Champagne bottles, spangled with all manner of decorative foofaraw (an infinity-shaped snake eating its own tail, stars, and cosmic eyes) and hand-written labels, signed and dated with batch and bottle numbers. The corks are a royal pain to remove. But it’s worth the struggle.

Available for $19.99 for a 750-ml bottle of Chaotic Chemistry and $9.99 for a 750-ml bottle of Thumbsucker at better liquor stores, while supplies last.