J.W. Lees Harvest Ale (Lagavulin)

Brewed by J.W. Lees
Style: Barley Wine
Middleton Junction, England

Hands down the best of the J.W. Lee’s cask aged harvest ales. Rich copper colored body with a few bubbles floating around, almost still. Rich fresh oak on the nose with sweet malts. Every so faint peat and smoke on the initial nose, but letting it sit and agitating it periodically for 30 minutes or so really released the Islay characteristics I was hoping for. Much more smoke and peat in the sweat malt body than in the initial nose. Unlike many barley wines, this one wasn’t as cloyingly sweet as many.

2003 vintage Bottle shared with YourDarkLord, thanks Edward. Pours copper with no head. Aroma of caramel malt, whisky, peat, and alcohol. Soft carbonation and typical under-attenuated syrupy texture. Flavor of caramel, brown sugar, and dark fruit. This is nicely countered by notes of wood, peat, and subtle smoke. Alcohol has melded well on the finish. Nice beer.

9.3 fl oz bottle Brewed in 2005 purchased at Lukas KCMO. Pour is initially somewhat hazy orange that went clear after a moment with carbonation and no head whatsoever. A few soapy bubbles clung to the edge of the glass. Aroma is malt sweetness, and earthiness. The initial aroma did not reveal much of the whisky. As it warms a touch, there is an absolutely great wood smokiness to the nose. Initial taste is big, with the sweet caramel candy malt to start, the peaty sea salt and woodiness of the whisky in the middle and a real long finish of butterscotch. I could not perceive any alcohol in this at all. Wonderful flavor transitions in this one and a really nice drink after a long week.

Brewed in 2005
Pours light amber orange, lots of carbonation, but not head. I yeast floaties. Ooops. Wonderful carmelized fruit aromas. Oak and vanilla. Powerful alcohol sort of singes the nose hair. Wow what a flavor. The toffee fruit character is accompanied byt a new friend. A wonderful peat character that takes and all ready super beer, out of the world. Sweet, but not cloy. Very seductive.

Bottle at Portland International Beerfest: Poursa deep orange with a few bubbles but not really a head. Aroma is of tons of carmel malt and alcohol and wood. Flavor is very thick and syrupy, moderately sweet and very carmelly and toffee like, finish is of wood, slight peatyness and spicyness and lots of alcohol. Its full of flavor and coats your mouth, like a thick cognac.

Bottle from Vintage Cellar; poured a dark gold, almost amber. Not much head, but very active carbonation visible. Aroma was good with honey, fruit, malt, alcohol and some peat/wood/whiskey hints. Flavory; everything they were going for they hit really well. Alot of fruit and honey in the flavor; a little sweet; the aging adds a nice peat/wood undertone and finish. Hints of caramel. Creamy finish. A sipper, but very drinkable. First Harvest beer that I have tried, and will now have to get the others.

I’m oh-so terribly fond of the J.W. Lee’s Harvest Ale, so let’s be a good sport, and give this Lagavulin Whiskey Cask-aged version a try. Appearance: A color reminiscent of sweet, gooey, delicious honey. From very talented, very wonderful bees. A tight, compacted khaki-colored head, with minimal head retention - but that’s to be expected. Slight carbonation, with fat, lazy bubbles working their way to the surface. Aroma: Holy moly! What a HONEY pot aroma with some sweet malt and butter smells around the edges. There’s a very slight smokey peat smell to it, but only very slight (far less than I would have imagined). Taste: Wonderful. A good bit of fruit in the flavor, mainly apricots and honey-soaked raisins. Plenty of chewy malt. The Lagavulin adds in a layer of smokiness to the brew’s benefit and makes for a delightful twist on the classic Harvest Ale. A long finish, a graceful finish, and one to simply sit down and cherish. Mouthfeel: Think, warm and always creamy on the tongue, like so much honey. The alcohol is warming, but not overly noticeable for 11.5%. Drinkability: A beer you can really drink yourself into a stupor with and smile all the while. True, this one’s a sipper, but I am guilty of taking whole mouthfuls just to really sink my teeth into it. A great barleywine experience! Thankfully, I purchased more than just a single bottle of this offering, and look forward to enjoying these down the road with a little age on it. I’ll be sure to try Port, Sherry, and Calvados versio-- OWW!! I just got bit by a BEE!!!

2004 bottle - pours thick, almost no head. smells of sweet port and burnt wood, lightly carbonated. dark amber color with dark orange. thick and sweet on the front of the tongue and overwhelming smoke flavor towards the back. thick oily coating as it goes down. Poured it cold but much better after sitting for a while and warming up. Too much burnt wood taste for me but good for a cold winter day by the fire.