3.7 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 15/20Bottle. Pours a murky reddish brown with a beige head. Aroma is of toasted malt, nutty notes, raisins, prunes and sweeter dark fruits, doughy breadiness, dark Belgian candied sugar, toffee and caramel, subtle spice ester from the yeast, red grape and red apple. The flavor follows the nose with lots of nice fruit esters (reminds me of the ester in Westmalle), again raisins, prunes, sweeter dark fruits, red grape, red apple, but also some doughy breadiness, toasted malt, nuts, toffee, caramel, spice and Belgian candied sugar. The body is medium with a dry and silky mouth feel. Overall a pretty tasty Belgian Strong Dark Ale.
3.5 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 14/20
2003 Vintage. Poured a brown-ruddy color with a small wispy head. Aroma is smooth malts, some age on it noticeable. Aroma is smooth malts. Flavor is aged malts, not quite soy, but too much longer and it would have hit that level. Glad to have tried this one.
3.4 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 16/20
Aroma of alcohol, yeast, candis sugar and caramel. Bronce with tiny white head. Taste bitter and sweet. Thin and well carbonated.
3.7 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 15/20
Dark amber pour, almost nonexistent beige head. Aroma of candysugar and belgian yeast. Citrusy, malty and toasty taste, very type-standarized. Still very good, but not anything special.
3.6 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 14/20
0.75 l bottle. Offwhite thick head, deep amber. Caramel, grassy aroma. Peach, toffee, rasin. Medium body.
---Rated via Beer Buddy for iPhone
3.7 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 13/20
Pours hazy brown with a tan head. Aroma of dark fruits, raisins, caramel, cinnamon and some apple.
3.6 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 5/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 15/20
A very good Grand Cru. Pours an amazing burgundy with a thick tan head. Not a huge amount of smell, a little bit of cherries and vanilla. Taste is very malty, with caramel and fruit. A little boozy. A lingering malty aftertaste. Had in the bottle.
---Rated via Beer Buddy for iPhone
4.3 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 9/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 18/20
Murky cider colored, with massive, fine-bubble, flotsam head, decent legs / Delicate nose of orchard fruit, caramel, oak / Light body, lively carbonation (let settle), crisp, some sweetness, woody, nice balance, alcohol well masked, with light bitterness on the finish / Stylish flavors of turning apple, date, banana, caramel, chocolate, coriander, straw, oak / Understated compared to some, but most fine.
4.3 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 9/10 PALATE 5/5 OVERALL 17/20
Murky brown pour. Sweet, bready aroma with dried fruits. Medium bodied, and really smooth. Flavours replicate the nose. Great balance and depth. Alcohol warms on the finish. Great stuff.
4 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 16/20
750 ml bottle into chalice, no bottle dating. Pours crystal clear reddish brown color with a 1 finger fairly dense cream colored head with good retention, that reduces to a thin lace cap that lingers. Light spotty lacing clings on the glass, with some moderate streaming carbonation. Aromas of raisin, prune, banana, grape, clove, caramel, dark candi sugar, toast, bubblegum, and earthy yeast esters. Very nice aromas with good balance of fruity/spicy yeast esters with candi sugar maltiness. Taste of raisin, prune, banana, grape, clove, caramel, dark candi sugar, bubblegum, toast, and yeast earthiness. Lingering notes of dark and light fruits, clove, caramel, dark candi sugar, bubblegum, toast, and yeast earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Very nice balance and complexity of fruity/lightly spicy esters with malt sweetness; and almost zero cloying sweetness present after the finish. Medium carbonation and fairly full bodied; with a slick, lightly syrupy, and lightly prickly mouthfeel that is good. Alcohol is well hidden with only a small warming noticed after the finish. Overall this is a damn nice Belgian strong dark ale. Very nice complexity of fruity/spicy yeast esters with candi sugar sweetness; and quite smooth to sip on. A very enjoyable offering.
3.5 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 15/20
Smell of brown sugar, nuts, sweet bread, figs, typical Belgian Ale scents. Taste is too sticky. Lies flat in the glass. Vague whiskey/alcohol warmth in the finish. Not at all bad, but wildly overrated.
|
