J.W. Lees Harvest Ale (Lagavulin)

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

Bottle. 2004 vintage. Pours a dark amber colour with a small off-white head. Dry malty dusty and slightly smoky aroma. Sweet malty smoky flavor with hints of caramel and toffee. Sweet malty warming finish with some smoky hints.

11/3/06: 2004 vintage bottle.
Extremely rich malty nose (raisin, alcohol, Lagavulin and peat). Body is a brown-red garnet color. Flavors include caramel, oak barrel, peat, wood chips, molasses and of course, whisky. Very smooth. Alcohol more pronounced as beer warms.

275 ml Bottle 2004. Good wood and whiskey aroma on the nose. Murky caramel body with dark tan head (thin). Flavor gives you a wet wiskey wood flavor. Sticky barley mild sweet flavor, Also noticed the last swig tasted like tobacco juice. A medium sweet dry wood left on the palate. Smooth beer for the high alcohol content.

Bottle. 2004 Vintage. Rich dark amber with no head. Sweet malt and peat aroma - nice subtle smoke. Rich sweet malt flavor with a great peat/smokiness. Light fruit. peat and sweetness lingers. Peat cuts the sweetness thats in the other flavored JW Lees ales. Rich body. Hides alcohol well.

beautiful mahogany brown color with a smokey honeyed nose. Viscous and sticky mouthfeel with smokey carmel and maple syrup notes and a hoppy bitter finish that lingers. This beer is dessert and nightcap all in one. Beautiful!

First off I have been a fan of Lagavulin for years. When stegosaurus told me there was a beer that laid in the Lagavaulin cask and tasted like it I was like YES !!! Pours a clear orange color. The aroma of peat is evident right away. I love that smokey taste Great Brew

2004 bottle. Purchased at the Holiday Wine Cellar in Escondido, CA. This is the last botlte in the JW Lees range that I have to rate. After drinking the other 3 and a 98 harvest I’m excited to rate the lagauvilin. After drinking these beers, porter, sherry, 98 harvest, calvados and now this, I’ve come to appreciate the refinements that barley wine style ales can have and how different they can be. Now to the good stuff. The brew porus a deep reddish amber with at first a small thin head, which has disappated into some foamy bubbles on the surface. The aroma is sweet and whiskey tinged, this brew has whiskey written all over it figuratively and lieterally. The taste is sweet and warm with a great deal of smooth whiskey flavors intermingling with the beer. Each taste seems better then the last, I’m going to have to drink this brew awfully slow or I’ll want another soon really bad. This is probably the best of the bunch, each of the 4 are different and unique and are standouts but this is pretty much heaven in a glass.

Saved this one for my 200th review since I love Lagavulin. Deep ruby red with a very minimal head. Very sweet, dark fruit aroma with notes of brown sugar and oak. Very sweet and fruity up front, fading to notes of vanilla and honey. The smoke and peat flavors permeate all the way through to the finish. Thick, satiny mouthfeel that just glides over your palate. An incredily unique barley wine that really lives up.