Cantillon Saint Lamvinus Unblended

Formerly brewed at Cantillon
Style: Lambic - Fruit
Brussels, Belgium

Serve in Flute, Stem glass, Tulip, Tumbler

send corrections   |   shelftag   |   edit barcodes   |   update pic

From notes - 2004 bottle from - where else - Akkurat! Pours out a clear raspberry red with half a finger of foam that rapidly dissapears. Smells incredible - tons of barnyard funk, a heavy dose of oak, light lemon, and a surprising amount of grape given the age. Highly reminiscent of wine. Taste is sour, but not overwhelmingly so. The grape shines through - lots of vinous red wine tannins, subtle funk, and lemon. Delicious. Easily the best of the fruited "Akkurat only" lambics. Palate is lovely, medium body, slight carbonation. Overall - an exceptional beer that has aged extremely gracefully. The lack of carbonation adds to the vinous feel of the beer. It’s complex and delicate - one of the best beers I’ve been lucky enough to try.

In short: A very tannic and fruity juicy lambic. Something different. Pretty good beer but one of the less good Cantillon ever.
How: Bottle at Akkurat, Stockholm. Bottle has a printed “Cuvée Akkurat” neck label, a hand-written sticker “STILLA” and the regular Saint-Lamvinus label.
The look: Cloudy pinkish-copper body topped by a tiny white ring of foam.
In long: Bottle opens without a pop as expected but what was unexpected was a ring of foam on top of each pour. For a moment I thought I may have been handed a not-unblended bottle. But in mouth the beer is as flatter than just any unblended lambic I’ve ever had. Musty nose with also wet fur, barnyard, parmesan notes and some dark grapes. Taste is ripe grapes, blue cheese, horse blanket, funk, plenty of tannins, dark fruits. The tannins are once again very saliva sucking but this one doesn’t have the dryness many Cantillons, the finish remains juicy even if very tannins-heavy. I’m almost certain I prefer the regular Saint Lamvinus, I’d need to taste a regular Saint Lamvinus with the same age, maybe I wouldn’t go crazy for a 2004 Saint Lamvinus either. As it is right now at 8 years of age this is certainly one of my least favorite Cantillon ever, but still a pretty damn nice beer. Another rare beer pretty much only available at Akkurat, the beer list at Akkurat is truly astonishing, but if I found out I had a very rare form of deadly cancer and could go anywhere in the world Akkurat would not be the place I would choose, I would chose to go to the hospital because that sounds pretty serious.

2004 bottle at Akkurat. It pours cloudy purple, with a quickly dissipaiting thin white head. The nose is jam, farmyard, tart red grape, creme fraiche and floral notes. The taste is tart red grape, tangy blackcurrant jam, granny smith apple, lemon, chamomile and leaf, with a very tart finish. Medium body and pretty much flat. Delicious and utterly drinkable.

2004 bottle, labeled "Stilla", 750ml at Akkurat in Stockholm.
early pour: lightly hazed brick / plum colored body.mild but meaty red grape and stronger oak in the nose with distinct wood tannins. grapes come across as pulpy, meaty and a bit bloody given the metallic character provided by yeast. light carbonation release across mid-palate. mellow body with low carbonation with strong acid to compensate, but it’s still taken as measured acidity, not brutish at all, and it suits the still body quite well. the result is a marvelously nuanced flavor with restrained sourness and a pleasant floral mustiness. faint grape skin tannins grow with time.
middle pour: opens up more, showing it’s rustic wild yeast character with dusty wood, oak tannins, wood oil and sharp, peppery acid.
late pour: more yeast equals a stronger mineral / concrete character and stronger dustiness in the nose especially.
the verdict: though called still, there’s mild carbonation unlike completely flat unblended lambic. the blood red (almost purple) color is quite dull and reminds me of the apprearance of aged wine. tart grape is present throughout and while faded and less vibrant than St Lamvinus at 2-3 years, the aged, dried and quiet character of the grapes is thouroughly enjoyable. wonderful shape.

75cl bottle shared at Akkurat. Poured in a gueuze glass. Vintage: 2004 - label reads "STILLA" which means it is the real deal. Hazy, light purplish ruby. Thin, off-white head forms around the edge of the glass on a soft pour. Absolutely beautiful nose coming of this beer. Medium ripe grapes, touch of funk, cherry, and dark berries. Slight oak and yeast. Taste is very complex and layered. Dry grape skin, earthy funk, and flat floral notes followed by touch of berry fruit sweetness, cherry tartness, and soft oak. Finishes with a subtle acidity that leaves your palate wanting to go back for more. My glass continued to empty too quickly and before we knew it, the bottle was gone! After a long afternoon/evening of drinking some top-notch beers at Akkurat, this was the winner for me. It was a wild card for sure, but the unblended (i.e. stillness) of this beer is so wonderfully executed I could barely find a flaw. Rounded, delicate, and very, very tasty!

Pours an opaque grapefruit red with a tight white bubbly head that dissipates immediately. The nose is brialliant, light cantillon funk adding notes of rubber band, the fruits are delightful, red grap skins lightly tart, grapefruit, and citrus. The taste is deep and balanced, citrusy, tart red grapes, light rubbery funk with a touch of acetic acid and some heat in the finish. Medium body, a bit syrupy but soft on the palate, light carbonation and semi dry finish. Finish falls off slightly, no carbonation, well integrated and complex.

Bottle, in courtesy of Reza @Tre Små Rum, Göteborg. Thanks! Clear ruby. No head, no carbonation. Big and sour red wine-scented aroma. Lots of citrus fruits too, and some quite horsey notes. Strong sour-fruity flavor. Notes of wood and citrus zest. Surprisingly easy on the palate. Tart, light astringent fruit ending. A very special one. Exciting!

Bottle @ Akkurat, Stockholm. Pours a clear reddish color with a small off-white head. Has a fruity almondy sour tart aroma. Fruity sour tart flat grape flavor. Has a fruity sour tart grape finish.

Sampled at Akkurat. Stockholm, September 28th, 2011.
Pours still deep red with an almost purple hue. Big sour aromas. Seed characteristics, acidic vinegary nots of cherries and other berries. A high acidity, sourish taste as well. The barnyard notes are definitely there together with a cherry, grapeish note that I can’t get my head around. This is a super tasty beer that comes of mean and aggressive - Just like I want my sours.

[9/29/11] Mahleket Hanikot Shotrim ’11 tour. Bottle shared by Hildigöltur at Plan B in Copenhagen. Huge thanks for all the beers Jacob! 2004 bottle. Hazy red-amber color with a bit of pinkish foam. Lovely aroma of barnyard and some grapes notes. Sour funky flavor with vinegar, some lemons and some grape fruity notes. Wonderful.