 Fin (2164), Merton, Oxfordshire, England
May 14, 2007
Bottle, picked up from Beers of Europe last month. What a corker this was, completely took me by suprise. Poured a dark, dark muddy brown with a nice off white slightly creamy head. Great aroma of dried fruits with some molassess and sweet malts. Taste was just sublime dried fruits such as raisins, dates jockey for position against a wonderfully warming trickling of port like alcohol flavour, there was also a smoothy creaminess which gave the whole thing an indulgent feel. This was almost like hooking your finger into a wonderful christmas pud’ laced with alcohol and topped with the biggest dollop of double cream, glorious, but now I want seconds.
BoBoChamp (618), Gent, Belgium
Jul 27, 2008 33cl, from De Hopduvel Gent, complex X-Mas brew, balanced, cloudy, good head, good brew
bu11zeye (3628), Frisco, Texas, USA
May 27, 2008 (Bottled Dec 06) Pours a cloudy medium brown body with a small beige head. Aroma of brown sugar, raisins, caramel, and cocoa. Flavor of raisins, prunes, dates, honey, molasses, and toffee.
probstk (644), Nepean, Ontario, Canada
May 13, 2008 33 cl bottle from Bieropholie, served at cellar temperature in a tulip glass. BB Dec. 06/
App.: Nice deep mahogany with a tiny tan head and lots of floaties.
Aroma: Really sweet and fruity: grapes and cherries, dried figs, prunes and raisins, lots of hazelnut, some ginger, cinnamon and other ambiguous spices, goopy molasses and brown sugar, some herbal mintiness, a touch of wood and a touch of alcohol. No cardboard or other age-related defects noted.
Palate: Medium body, soft carbonation, a bit syrupy and slick.
Flav.: Up front, there is a lovely, inviting hit of vanilla, followed by sumptuous fruit wrapped in chocolate and crunchy brown sugar; a touch of the nuts, spices and herbals are there as well; on swallowing, there is a big hit of alcohol and some cookies, ending with a bit of nuts and light molasses.
Thoroughly inappropriate for this time of year, but that’s all my fault. Nicely put together and quite enjoyable. Glad it kept beyond the best before date.
Mungo (2474), Southampton, Hampshire, England
Mar 25, 2008 Bottle from Bitter Virtue. Honey and rich malts with chocolate and yeasty spice aromas. Sweet and fruity but with enough layers of flavour to add interest. A fairly light finish for a beer of this strength helps it to remain drinkable.
CapedBrewsader (181), Brasschaat, Belgium
Mar 14, 2008 33cl. bottle: Deep cherry wood liquid with a slightly off-whit dying head. Big raisin, caramel, tea leaves and sweet malt aroma. Some old cherries and a slight cardboard finish out the aroma. Deep herbal quality but without any green harshness. Flavor is malty with a big dark herbal component. Tea leaves again. Sweetness comes from a mix of honey, dates and cherry extract flavors. Nutmeg and cocoa powder come in towards the end.
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