Deep brown hue, off-white ring. Big chocolate whiff shares the throne with an oaky profile. Black licorice and rather generous malt profile procure a slightly earthy sensation that makes it seem bold and vigorous. The flavour won’t quite hold up, having an over-accented sour backbone that might enhance drinkability, but doesn’t contribute to the malty aromatics in anyway. Cutting short with a dash of yeastiness that somehow runs at the residual sweetness like it couldn’t see it before reaching our mouth. Nevertheless, there are plenty of interesting flavours in there, dark fruits aplenty, candyish flowers, honey and sulfury notes. Creamy texture, dryish smokiness in the short finish. Good, finally.

On tap at the Mondial de la Bière 2004: Pours a clear dark copper with a dense coating of off-white head. Aroma is tart and acidic with a hint of caramel malt and fruity complexity. Body is very sour and most likely infected. Shows signs of once being a good beer, but now it’s hard to get down.

On tap at Vice et Versa alongside the estimable Mr. tiggmtl. Malty, vinous nose...very, very sweet and a bit oily...licorice/fig qualities, some late rye or sourdough sourness/acidity; viscous, heavy and full...very interesting and tasty, but a difficult concoction to sample in quantity.

The Lure:
A gorgeous brown gown with a creamy head jettisons caramel, black pepper, coriander, licorice and a host of other sweet spices. Yeasty tartness creeps in surreptitiously from under the sweetness, alas.

The Festivities:
I am ready to say this is a close cousin to their Claymore, if not a bottled attempt of it. Roastiness and caramel slide well amongst dry, wooden fruitiness which recalls an old ale (just like their Claymore again). Spices are sadly muddled by the tartness and back acidity which has apparently become a tradition for La Barberie. Fizzy carbonation and well-camouflaged alcohol. This cannot age well as is.

Transcendence:
A rotting disguise will not work well in the end.

Spicy, sweet, malty aroma. Opaque, dark brown, almost black, with nice tan head that recedes to lasting cover and thick ring. Buckwheat and rye-like spiciness with licorice tones and a raisiny fruitiness. Medium-full body and low carbonation. On tap at Vices et Versa with muzzlehatch.