Cantillon Iris

Brewed by Cantillon
Style: Lambic - Unblended
Brussels, Belgium

Serve in Flute, Tumbler

12.7 oz bottle into snifter. Been looking forward to this one a long time. Hopefully it isn’t unfair that I’m sampling it after Temptation, which was damn good. 2005 vintage (cork says it was bottled in 2007). After filling my snifter I spilled the last 2 to three ounces -- DAMN (!) at least I got the good clear pour and spilled mostly just the dregs. Pours with a bigger head than I would have imagined for an unblended (the 1900 had no carbonation at all). Beautiful still amber body with a bit of a tangerine/orange hue to it. Nice white head that leaves great lace too. Very unique aroma -- funky, barnyard, and peppery in a way I have never experienced (almost burns the nostrils). Both the aroma and flavor are the most unique ones I have encountered in any lambic BY FAR. The flavor is similar to the aroma but there is a very organic flower quality, not like the flower quality that can result from hops, but like a flower was actually sitting in the bottle all this time. So unique I cant describe it any other way. All of this weirdness in the flavor and aroma are lingering of a solid gueuze backbone. Medium tartness. Finished medium dry and pretty quick. Medium bodied with minimal carbonation. Overall: if you are into lambics you MUST try this because this is crazy shit! After you get used to the flowery quality this stuff is outstandingly drinkable.

750 ml bottle (2005) at Brouwer’s. Pours a cloudy, dusty orange, with a small head that lingers as a thick lace. Aroma has a wonderful barnyard funk - dusty citrus, oak, and tart lemons. A bit of sweeter mandarin comes through in the flavor, with a near-perfect dry, musty tartness to counter. Maybe not quite as crisp as the best ones I’ve had, but simply delicious - I could absolutely drink this all night long.

750 ml bottle@Olutkellari, Helsinki. Amber color, low off-white head. Inviting lambic aroma with some winy notes. Nice sour flavor with citric fruit and a touch of honey. Full body, medium-light carbonation. Full mouthfeel. Probably not the best Cantillon, but a pretty good show nevertheless.

UPDATED: MAY 19, 2010 2004 Bottle enjoyed 1.10.09. This is a fantastic beer! Pours an unclear bright glowing orange golden with a very fine very white thin frothy head. Really a great smelling lambic, yeasty, dusty, sweeter than most, a little more earthy, some citric fruits. Tangy sour first taste, quite sweet, so pure and yummy, plain delicious, light acidity, more like a lemon warhead candy, this really tastes like the base beer for 50 by 4. Great balance, hint of funky cheese, prefect amount of barrel. Fantastic! Strong flavors, sharp, yet still completely quaffable. [my 100th Belgian Rate I believe]

Beautiful beautiful beer! Notes from a tasting a few months back. 2005 vintage tasted along 2007 This is very good aged! Pours a hazy gold Funky aroma with a light fruitiness, good hoppy to sour ratio on the flavor that is surprisingly plesant both flavors are very under control and do not overwhelm eachother, the funiness certinally takes over the hoppiness in the older vintage. There is a bit of citrus here and the flavor reminds me of a reisling.

Bottle. Damn why don’t I like these. This came from Atlanta...and its another Cantillon tht I just cannot appreciate. Hell it would make a better salad dressing than a beer...sorry sourheads...dont hate....damn.

750 ml bottle opened at PP Strong Ale after hours. Light orange pour with bleach white head. Good carbonation with a pretty strong nose of funk and lemon. Very tart mouthfeel that almost feels like it sucks the moisture off your tongue. Flavor of fresh lemon juice, grapefruit, barnyardish funk, and a hint of honey at the end. Pretty damn good brew.

2005 vintage. Smell is fruity, barnyard, sour, typical lambic like. Organge color and hazy in look with a large foamy white head. Medium body and ultra dry. Good stuff. Taste is sour, fruit, wild yeast, acidic, and carbonation.