Bottle. Well aged (BBE dated 5 months prior to tasting). Some mince pie fruit on the nose - appropriate for a Christmas seasonal. Opaque brown on the glass with a very quickly dissipating head and no lace. Rich in flavour with a lasting back-of-the-throat caustic quality that is actually just on the pleasant side. A little over carbed, but that’s probably due to the age. Overall pretty good.

Cask Handpump at the Beer House, Manchester 23/12/2005 Mid brown coloured and very strong in alcohol. Fruity aroma and flavour. Some dryness and bitterness in a warming malt finish.

Bottle. Dark amber coloured with a large off-white head. Aroma is rich, sweet malty, brown sugar and some dark fruit. Flavours are sweet and malty with some floral hops in the lightly bitter finish. Full bodied, slightly carbonated in the finish, mouthfeel. Very good.

Cask@Leicester Beer Festival. Murky looking brownish black beer with a cherry aroma and a strong barley wine flavour that is slightly sour. Overall a sour and fruity beer, but disappointing.

Burton Winter Fest. A dark brown beer with an off-white head. Aromas are sweet malts with sugar and some earthiness. Flavours are sweet and malty with winter fruit and smooth chocolate. Quite floral in its hopping. The alcohol is quite well disguised. A decent ale.