Very well done Saison. Up front malt with rye sweetness and a dry Saison finish. Pricey but good. One of the best Saisons. ---Rated via Beer Buddy for iPhone

Clear golden-hued pumpkin. Thin but leathery foam holds its form well. Vibrant and complex nose of Turkish apricot, dry leaves, persimmon, pepper, orange marmalade, flowers and tobacco. Hints of oak-derived butter toffee and vanillin. Very soft carbonation. A rounded but relaxed tartness is enveloped by a wealth of soft tobacco-like malt on initial sip. A vibrant influx of fruity esters infuses the body with tremendous mouthwatering succulence as it harmonizes with the elegantly incorporated floral hops. A phenolic dusting provides just enough peppery scratch and soul to the array of delicatenesses. Polished notes of persimmon and apricot contribute to the autumnal feel, as a flurry of dried leaf notes continue to waver in and out. Soft malt is deceptively weightless due to its expert extraction, yet provides a plush mouthfeel and cradles the fruit extremely well. Subtle new-mown hay testifies to the degree of refinement exhibited by the malt, as it provides additional lushness, texture, and bounce to the already springy tobacco and soft nut-flesh characteristics. As the temperature rises, the squeaky-clean fermentation is significantly hindered by intrusive sugary vanillin which contributes a rhubarb- and saccharine-like note. Masterfully balanced finish is appropriately light on its feet, yet tinged with soft tobacco, vanilla cookie and refined Styrian whispers. Oak-derived sugar lingers and consequently extinguishes much of the fruity luster. My only complaint here is the cheap smell of oak chips, which, like diacetyl, I am hypersensitive to. The femininity is all but destroyed by its presence. Otherwise, this might be their best-brewed saison yet, as it’s absolutely a stunning display of purity, balance, and finespun complexities. But, after ten or so bottles consumed over the past year and a half or so, I’m gonna have to settle on my score. Not quite the mid-4-level stunner that it could be. If not for the oak, I’d probably have typing through the tears, it’s that well-brewed. What a bummer that the 2016 batches weren’t this good, despite the omission of oak. Here’s to hoping for 2017!

On tap at Hops & Pie 2-3 weeks ago. Light amber and light hazy appearance with a lingering white head. Aroma of oak, vanilla, bread, light earth and a light rye spice. Similar flavor, adding light caramel malt and toffee, leading to a moderate sweetness. Medium body with a silky feel and a smooth finish. Pairing: Blackberry Smoke - Leave a Scar: Live in North Carolina (Note: I removed my 2016- rating and moved it here. The menu listed it at 5.7% and "Aged in Oak." 2016- is 6.3% sans oak.)

An interesting dark saison but a bit too heavy flavorwise for its ABV. The spicy and sweet notes from the malts are at odds with what I want a drinkable lowish ABV saison to be doing.

750mL bottle, Fall 2015 batch drunk 7/16/16.
Huge, off-white head shows great retention atop a dark golden, copper-brass body showing good clarity. Certainly looks the part.
Floral hops still remain and are probably my favorite part of the beer. Reminds of orval....God I love this hop. Otherwise, strong honey with hints of toffee and plentiful brown bread show forth taking things to the earthy, grainy realm but leaving room for lightly fruity esters (apple, strawberry, melon) and a bit of minerality/plastery character. A lot of bread and spicy rye on the finish though, and that kind of kills a lot of the potential brightness for me. No alcohol or flaw.
In the mouth it’s wonderfully-textured, of course, with nicely attenuated base malts and a fine, strong carbonation. However, moderate amounts of toffee-like sweetness build on the palate, in concert with a strong "breadiness" of lightly toasted grain and nutty rye. Fruity finish with good phenolics and a pleasing herbal-citrus character and less hop notes than in the nose. I guess the hops fading have really highlighted all of this excess specialty malt which I really don’t care for. Will retry a fresh sample this Fall.

Hazy amber pour with a profuse dirty white head. Earthy/rusty aroma with some floral esters and spicy notes. Earthy and almost squash/gourdy with a lot of spice and a touch of tannic bitterness. Dry and light bodied.

Bottle from Whole Foods PM. Poured hazy brown with off-white head. Nose was rye malt, some yeasty florals, hops. Tastes rye malty, malt forward, with florals, hops, and some late funky notes.

Bottle… Hazy, dirty orange pour with no head. The aroma is grainy, fruity and spicy with yeast-driven notes of pear, apricot, clove and allspice. Light to medium-bodied with a watery mouthfeel and adequate carbonation. The flavor is lightly fruity, mildly grainy and a touch spicy. Crisp, lightly bitter, minerally finish. Balanced and refreshing overall, but not as good as their Summer Saison. Courtesy of newcigarz!

Light brown colored pour. Big off white head. Plenty of lacing. Aroma of mineral and light lemon. Taste is a slightly tart malt and citrus.

Bottle at the Sovereign. Hazy golden amber color, large white head with spiderweb lacing. Aroma os herbal and funky. Taste is lightly fruity and dusty hay and straw. Nice.