 JK (2392), Twin Cities, Minnesota, USA
Sep 4, 2007 Updated: Oct 6, 2007
Very good of Oslo2116 to share this incredibly rare treat. Bottle number 220/234. Even as I am extremely grateful to try this, I am terribly disappointed because AleSmith has ruined an excellent beer with a crappy bourbon flavor. They might have used a different a different barrel, oak chips, Calvados, Port barrels, but instead, dialed-in bourbon. Bourbon aroma and bourbon flavor. Hardly recognizable as a Scotch ale any more, without the complexity and flavor of the un-ruined, regular version. Considerable malt is present anyway, as well as sugar, but bourbon has covered all there was to love. Palate seemed a little thin. I feel bad about this review because I know this beer is kind of a big deal and I love thick, sweet vinous Scotch ales, but the bourbon isn’t for me.
eli723 (8), USA
does not count  Aug 21, 2008 Way too Heavy for me. The reviews here do it justice but it just isn’t for me. My impression was that it tasted like scotch but way thicker. GOt 2 bottles for my uncle who loves it.
blankboy (2562), Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Aug 20, 2008 Bottle (750ml) shared with HogTownHarry, GregClow, tupalev, jerc & garthicus -- courtesy of HogTownHarry. (No idea what number or vintage as the writing from the sharpie was all smudged) Pours a deep impenetrable reddish-brown with a small diminishing frothy off-white head. Sweet aroma of bourbon, brown sugar, light smoke, hops, spices and alcohol. Big bourbon barrel flavour, quite malty, along with brown sugar, dark fruit, light smoke and caramel. Woody, boozy, bitter finish. Medium bodied. Very good and pretty Impressive stuff. Thanks again to IrishBoy!
JMFG (1086), Florida, USA
Aug 19, 2008 RBSG. Sampled from 05 and 06 bottles, courtesy Vac. Dark amber pour, sparse bits of soapy white head. Sweet bourbon and caramel aroma, backed by oak, vanilla, and rich malts. Rich sweet alcoholic taste, the rich malt base fights through the barrel character towards the end, but overall, for the 06 vintage, the barrel dominates. The 05 vintage less so, and this definitely made a more rounded brew. The regular WH is a masterpiece in it’s own right, but the BA versions are still phenomenal brews. Thanks again Vac!
jerc (3102), Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Aug 15, 2008 2008-08-15. Very dark brown body with a very small beige head. (3+) Aroma is very sweet and boozy. Bourbon sweetness over sweet malts, but vanilla kissed bourbon reigns. (7+) Flavour is sweet and boozy, sugary malt wants to come out but can’t quite break apart from the bourbon. Smooth medium bodied palate. (3+)> Pretty good but to be honest I’d rather have the non-barrel aged version. Bottle shared by HogTownHarry
"Music was better during the Barrel Ages..." - Tupalev
HogTownHarry (3175), Toronto (Harbourfront), Ontario, Canada
Aug 14, 2008 Bottle (750ml). Shared with blankboy, garthicus, GregClow and jerc - thanks again to Irishboy for the . Deep mahogany pour, smallish frothy beige head. Woody, oak/vanilla aroma, mild sweet roast, floral and herbal-sweet. Taste - same - roasty sweet, vanilla/oak woodiness, borderline carbonized - quite different from the regular Wee Heavy. Average slick body, astringent, alcoholic and somewhat burnt - excellent stuff.
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