 awaisanen (1135), Irvine, California, USA
Apr 22, 2006
From Bottle. Fiery up-north late night summer sunset spalsh into the snifter glass along with a delicate layer of beige head. Deliciously sweet aromas of white grape, tons of strawberry, and some creamy raspberry sherbet. Sweet tropical layers of pineapple and mango pile on with the vinous qualities of a well-crafted muscat. Milky, creamy mouthfeel that brings a flourish of darker ripened fruits. Initially, some spiced fig, dried apricots, and green raisin. Secondly, some white pepper, honey, and a bitter hoppiness of sticky red pine sap. Final smack of a sticky, oaky, caramelly whiskey. This beer is amazing in the way its able to bring many of my favorite things together into a neat little package. It has the vinous qualities of a fine dessert wine, the depth of an elegant dinner - I can imagine a sweet honey bourbon glaze resting on top of a grilled pork tenderloin, and the Friday night nightcap of a tongue tingling, mouth watering, neat single malt scotch whiskey. A fitting name for an expertly crafted, favorably complex brew.
Miver (384), WillowStreet, Pennsylvania, USA
Aug 20, 2008 750ml bottle shared by egajdzis. Thanks!!! Poured a cloudy deep amber in color with a quickly diminishing tan head. Aroma of toffee, chocolate, dark fruits, and a little smoke. Tastes of sweet toffee, brown sugar, chocolate with a hefty amount of alcohol warming in the finish. Thanks Eric.
theisti (1034), Leawood, Kansas, USA
Aug 12, 2008 2005 Vintage. 750 ml bottle generously shared by tjthresh. Pour is ruby, red brown - hazed, with a tan head that falls fast with not much lacing. Aroma of soft sweet fruity caramel. Vanilla woodiness in the background of the nose. Soft, delicate, very engaging nose. Taste is nice; soft caramelly, grainy with a sharp woodiness. Some residual alcohol in the finish that doesn’t detract. This was a really nice beer. Thank you for sharing this one with me Tom, very cool of you.
JCB (1001), Durham, North Carolina, USA
Aug 9, 2008 750ml from an online vendor I don’t recall. Duh, it’s been a few years. I’ve been saving this one for a very special occasion, and am pleased as punch to pop it open tonight. A deep dark red pour, with just a trace of cloudiness in there from the main ingredients, as well as a slight fizz from the carbo (still there) and some pleasant lacing. Big ass nose of multiple malts, initially with chocolate characteristics and then settling into toffee, plum, fig, and tobacco. Lovely mouthfeel, with a slight bite on the tongue that gives the brew a warming, lasting quality. Definitely akin to sipping on a beloved malt whiskey, and another Alesmith winner.
tjthresh (1279), Greenfield, Indiana, USA
Aug 7, 2008 Wow! Pours a hazy dark red with very little head. Big chewy melted English Toffee nose. Tons of toffee with some nice oxidized notes. Some chocolate syrup. There’s a little bit of bitterness at the end with some lingering alcohol. Really damn good. Full bodied and hardly any noticeable carbonation. Kind of a fudgey sweet finish, but very easy to drink. This beer is outstanding in every way.
xnoxhatex (788), Chicago, Illinois, USA
Jul 21, 2008 Bottle thanks to Drewbeerme. Dirty brown red with small beige head. Aroma of oxidized alc, red fruit, very nice. Flavor is once again oxidized alc bwith red fruit but it comes off being much more boozy. Medium body and surprisingly well carbonated and smoooth. Big alc and over oxidized but I can see where this might have been better when it first was bottled but at the same time I could see some years improving on it as well.
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