3.6 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 14/20
Cask @ EBF, 2008, Carlsberg.
Pours deep, clear, brown with almost no head. Nice aroma, sherry, wood, toffee and good caramel - just a touch of chocolate. Low carbonation, fine mouthfeel. Flavour has lots of toffee, light chocolate and good sherry notes. Good dryness in the finish.
2.8 AROMA 5/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 5/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 11/20
Cask at EBF 2008, on Saturday September 13
Clear dark copper color, white head. Smooth yet dry malty taste. Malty sweet scent. Medium mouthfeel, medium bitterness.
3 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 12/20
From cask. Pours clear and golden deep amber, clear and with a lacing slight tan head. Light breadish yet fruity hops base flavour with a mild hoppy acidity. Smooth and fresh hoppy finish with a light bitternesster into the finish.
3.3 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 14/20
Cloudy dark amber with tiny off white head. Sweet aroma with roasted malt and caramel. sweet flavour with roasted malt, ripe fruits and caramel hints. Ends sweet.
2.8 AROMA 5/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 9/20
On tap in York. Creamy, bitter ale with a nice balanced bitter finish, nice malt and sweet flavours. Pretty good.
2 AROMA 3/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 3/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 8/20
Dark ruby coloured beer. Hint of fruit in the nose but mostly caramel/malt. Tastes predominately of roast malts with that sickly caramel overtone typical of a Scottish beer. Lack of hoppiness a huge disappointment for the style. Ultimately a bland, unsatisfying experience.
3.8 AROMA 5/10 APPEARANCE 5/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 16/20
UPDATED: OCT 15, 2012 Handpulled cask at JDW Hatch End, Harrow during recent international beer fest. Very dark brown with thick off-white head in the peak of condition. Lots of interesting malt flavours, roasted, coffee, chocolate, also extremely smooth and very sessionable. Excellent.
3.4 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 14/20
Cask at The Ship, Croydon. Pours a dark brown beer with a foamy head. Aroma of cream and malts. Taste is smooth, some hops and matured oak. Quite nice.
3.9 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 15/20
UPDATED: JAN 17, 2009 Knickersby ’Spoons. Shaving foam collar on deep ruby beer. Drab varnishy malt, walnut husk and vinous splashes. Still and insipidly bitter. Didn’t get any hops or fruit, just stale wood. One to revisit in fresher condition,with a cleaner palate 5/3/4/2/10.. (Re-rate, The Lime Kilns). Huge silky coffee-heavy English bitter punching with roast, chocolate, oily background hop, raisiny dark fruit, sprinkle of aniseed, elusive spice, maybe cumin. Yellowy lace with every sip. Thick and creamy,packed with malt and hop flavour. One of the finest dark ’premium’ bitters I’ve had in a long long time. MARSTONS LEAVE THIS ONE ALONE.
3.9 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 5/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 16/20
Cask at Wetherspoons in Wimbledon, 2nd April 2008. Looks fantastic - a rich brown with a persistent white head. Aroma and flavour are similar to each other - rich malt and milky coffee, with hints of worn leather and late hoppiness. Very, very soft on the tongue and overall a great ale. Not quite world class, but very drinkable.
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