 IslandHaole (1028), Onna-Son, Okinawa-Ken, Japan
Dec 4, 2007
Hazy opaque orange/copper color with a fine creamy head.
Scent of Vanilla, wood, prunes, traces of smoke and shoyu as well.
A quick, short-lived sweet apricot & cherry front that was quickly overwhelmed with a vinous oak middle, followed again by sweetness but this time more malt than fruit, strong oak in the follow with some Burton mineral saltiness and again a sweet flavor, like a fat juicy purple plum. This is quite an interesting concoction that has in its complex mix of flavors more twists and turns than a rollercoaster but the flavors mesh together quite nicely. Has a great velvety mouthfeel with just the right touch of carbonation for the style. I really enjoyed this beer and look forward to drinking more of it on my next trip back to the US. Hats off to Alan & the crew at HOTD for their creativity!
PS: My GF said it smells like shoyu & wood and tastes like orange peels then handed it back to me and went back to her Nigori Sake.
RCL (1020), Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Sep 4, 2008 Nice vanilla oak component to the aroma over light hops spice. Butterscotch and pine needles dominate the flavor.
ChainGangGuy (1536), Kennesaw, Georgia, USA
Sep 4, 2008 Appearance: Suspiciously opaque, medium brown body with a very thin, white head.
Smell: Rich, aromatic, malty nose! Woodsy oak, jam-packed with rum-soaked raisins, homemade caramel, vanilla beans, juicy peaches, and honey liqueur.
Taste: Decadently sweet, tasting of honey, dark caramel, and pralines. Bready rye and barley flavor. Some rosebud florals. Hint of dull, earthy spices. A single drop of vanilla extract. Moderate bitterness present. Sip of champagne. Lusciously fruity, with tastes of raisins, peaches, and ripe green apples. Maybe a spritz of lime juice. Woodsy barrel character the pops up midway and grows into the sweetish, fruit-laden finish.
Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Medium carbonation.
Drinkability: Excellent! A first-rate barleywine. Crammed to the absolute brim with flavor and complexities, plus they don’t skimp on the alcohol.
xmarcnolanx (658), Kirkwood, Missouri, USA
Sep 3, 2008 Aroma is sweet caramel malt, intensely caramel, a touch worty, citrus hops, some dankness and the merest whisper of malt sourness, and oak. Lots of oak.
2008 bottle.
Pours a murky thick-piss yellow with a significant amount of head that lingers and coast the glass. Fucking beautiful.
Taste is lots of sweetness in the same vein as the aromatic profile, some citrus and bittering hops in both the initial taste and in the finish, and oak.
Finishes very crisp and dry for the style due to the oak and the bittering hops, yet still creamy and dense, yet quietly aggressive in the mouthfeel due to the oiliness and assertiveness of the hops, not to mention the malt structuring.
This is a fantastic beer.
Magjayran (1118), Durham, North Carolina, USA
Sep 3, 2008 I sure was stoked to get a hold of this one. Hints of sherry, cherry, and fresh tobacco in the nose. Reminds me of a time when the tobacco factories in my hometown were still in production and would open up the events at the end of every day. Plenty of oak up front in the flavor with some candied fruits, sweet vanilla, bitter grapefruit, and a hint of honey. Lively carbonation was surprising and welcome. Alcohol noticed and appreciated. Very enjoyable.
DMRz (148), Durham, North Carolina, USA
Sep 2, 2008 12 oz. bottle. Cloudy light brown color with a white head. Sweet malt flavors with sour lambic and an interesting candi sugar finish. Well balanced and interesting - worth a try.
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