3.6 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 15/20
Nice amber-copper pour, not quite transparent, with a huge frothy tan 4-finger head that dissipates well, leaving chunky lace down the glass. The nose contains nice malty sweetness. The flavors follow in tow, very malty with nods to caramel. There are also some woody notes, without being earthy or smoked. This follows mid-palate with some nice dark chocolates. The finish just closes kindly on the flavors, leaving a touch of alcohol (rare for the actual ABV) and just the slightest hints of a spiced hop. All of the complexities work very well together, and although the mouthfeel is thick and full, it is an extremely smooth quaff. The full palate is best explored when the sitting temperature is allowed to rise about 20 minutes from removal of refrigeration. Cheers, and a great job on this one to Iron Hill!
3.8 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 15/20
2007 vintage holiday, shared with my girlfriend Cyn and our friend Paul with Dinner. Pours orangey copper with a tan head. Nose is rich with caramel and quite malty. Taste is rich and very sweet with lots of caramel and toffee. Yum.
3.7 AROMA 9/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 14/20
750, corked and baled. Thanks, SuzyGreenberg! Crystal clear dark rubied orange. Dark amber in the middle. Headless, laceless. Oranges, spruce, chocolate, and mint on the nose. Creamy medium body. The oranges, spruce, chocolate, and mint all come back for the mid-palate. Spizy, minty finish. Very nice stuff.
3.5 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 14/20
750ml Bottle (2007 Vintage): Aroma of caramel, raisins, astringent, malts, slight alcohol, slight honey, dark ripe fruit, and is lightly vinous. Smells like an English barley wine. Poured deep amber/orange/brown in color with a a small beige head that lasted throughout. Cloudy. Sparkling. Appears there are small particles throughout. Flavor is medium sweet. Tastes of malts, caramel, raisins, tar, dark ripe fruits, light tobacco, and a hint of wood. Medium body. Thin, sticky texture.
3.6 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 14/20
Amber in color with a small head that disappears. Rich toffee aroma, sourdough bread, molasses and caramel. Flavor is of caramel, plumbs, spices and nuts.
3.8 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 15/20
UPDATED: JAN 20, 2010 Holiday Vintage 2008. Need to let this one age for a bit longer. Decent carbonation. Thin head that recedes quickly. Sweet caramel malts, raisins, cherry and some butterscotch. Color is a very impressive crimson brown. Noticable alcohol presence and kick. Seems like more than the 7.2% it claims. Lots of sweetness, brown sugar, caramel malts and some peaty and smokey notes. Finishes hot and sweet. A pretty darn sweet brew. Needs to age and mellow for a year or 2. I will get another one and let the next one age a bit.
Tried a second one a year or so later. Much less sweetness and more peat and smoke notes. Still a pretty good brew. Rating up.
3.9 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 16/20
Holiday Vintage 2005. 750 ml bottle purchased at Newark, DE location. Label says Wilmington, DE. Pours a dark brown that allows no light to pass with a moderate-large off-white head that lasted through three-quarters of the glass and left partial lace. Pleasant malty aroma. The flavor is again malty with caramel and butterscotch. Very low bitterness at the finish. Buttery mouthfeel. A very nice old ale.
3.7 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 15/20
750ml bottle ’04 vintage, thanks to Swolf3. Pours very dark, murky brown. Nice off-white head. Slightly sour maltiness. Very nice flavor, smooth and very rich. Very good
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