UPDATED: MAR 24, 2024 Pours obsidian black with super dense tan head. Soft mouth feel. Sweet malt, bitter roast. There is some vanilla on the long finish, and some alcohol warmth. There is an underlying subtle, err, whiskey-ness to the whole thing too.

UPDATED: FEB 23, 2024 Nahezu schwarze Farbe mit beiger Schaumkrone. Malziger, röstmalziger Geruch mit Whisky. Geschmacklich malzig, röstmalzig mit Karamell, Whisky und Trockenfrüchten. Hohe Süße mit mittlerer Bitterkeit, voller Körper mit sanfter Kohlensäure.

UPDATED: JAN 26, 2024 A 330ml black foiled and capped bottle, bottle no. 08466, bottled in October 2021, and a best before end date of November 2024. Poured into a snifter glass. It was dark brown to black in colour with a half finger beige head that dissipated fairly quickly to a ring around the glass, while leaving some nice lacing. Aromas of roasted malts, chocolate, nutty, dried dark fruit, whisky, with light notes of caramel and peat. Tastes of roasted malts, dark chocolate, coffee bean, whisky, oak, light nutty, a touch bitter, with notes of smoke. Medium bodied with soft carbonation. Overall, aroma and flavours were balanced, but I probably prefer the 16 slightly more with the extra dark fruit and sweetness.

UPDATED: JAN 15, 2024 Great beer. Super drinkable. Love the whisky smoke. It’s not too thick or rich yet it is super complex. Wildeman ams

UPDATED: DEC 10, 2023 Bottle 330ml; Look: almost jet black with a tan coloured head. Aroma: rich boozy Christmas cake, whisky Body: medium end of thin Taste: rich boozy Christmas cake, whisky Overall: lovely stuff

UPDATED: SEP 10, 2023 330mL bottled Sep 2014, bottle #17287, drunk 9/9/23. Clear dark mahogany. Small, dark beige head quickly to edge. Smells mellow, moderately oxidized, no big whiskey, just gentle smoke, caramel, toffee... Soft, old, moderately oxidized, but you can tell this is a pleasant, easygoing, mellow beer with simple, sweet toffee, chocolate and peat notes. Light vanilla. Wouldn't mind some assertiveness from the whiskey to jazz things up a bit, but my expectations are pretty low for a 9 year-old 330mL bottle that has likely sat warm it's whole life.

UPDATED: MAR 30, 2023 Sort, tynd ring skum, lav kulsyre. Aroma er mørk malt, svag fornemmelse af whisky, hint af tørv/røg. Smagen er mørk malt, rund, lidt fedme, god balance, lille hint a whisky, lille hint af kaffe. God lang blød eftersmag, lidt fad, whisky, kaffe.

UPDATED: MAR 25, 2023 330ml bottle delivered from Beers of Europe in Setchey, Norfolk and drunk at home. It’s really dark brown and opaque with a small khaki head. Big smoky and peaty aroma. Salted caramel, molasses, dark cooking chocolate. The intensity take a while to get used to but once you do it is heavenly. Sweet taste with a smoky sourness at the finish, and some clever bittering hops. I like this a lot although I’m not sure it exceeds the 12- and 16-year versions.

UPDATED: FEB 7, 2023 Bottle. Pours opaque mahogany, small beige head, good lacing. Aroma of molasses, peat, smoke, earth, roasted malts. Flaky is light plus sweet, light plus bitter. Merlin body.

UPDATED: JAN 4, 2023 330ml bottle from LCBO. Pours and opaque black colour with a thin head which dissipates quickly. Complex aromas of roasted malts, cherries, toffee, licorice, and a whiff of whiskey. Taste matches the aroma with oak barrel flavour backbone. Full bodied with low carbonation. Surprisingly light weight silky texture on the palate which leaves a pleasant after burn from high alcohol content. Excellent brew. Best Scottish strong ale I’ve ever had!