I don’t think drinking it out of the mason jar does it justice, you really have to head up to the pub to enjoy this baby. Dark brown and opaque, with a fluffy head that gave way to a nice lacing around the snifter. The smell just blew me away. Fresh baked bread, lightly toasted over an open flame and smothered in strawberry jam. Insane. The taste is deep and rich roasted malt, sort of nutty, very enjoyable bitterness. A late entry in my best of 2004 sweepstakes, yet probably in my top 10, easily top 3 in the Barleywine subcategory. My hat goes off to the guys at la Voie Maltée, proof once again that hicks from the sticks can make awesome Beers if they put their minds to it.

Aged 1yr, draught at the pub. Murky orange with light brown hints. Generous sticky head for 11% diminishing to a fine cover. SMoked caramel aroma, this is a caramel overslaught actually, butchered on by buttery toffee, scotch peatiness. Hell this almost manages to hide those traces of 11% alcohol. As it is, this reminds me of dieu du ciel’s quintessence, very sweet and lovely with bold earthiness, but what will set this one apart is its jammy state fruitiness. Stuffed strawberries, blueberries and mandarine marmalade medley explodes up the nostrils and would make a great liquor or wine if the alcohol were more present. Doubtlessly full bodied, sticky smoked berries palate with creamy caramel covering angel cakes. Toffee and maple whirlwind. Alcohol not felt at all while in mouth, but very warming aftertaste. A great beer geek treat for a popular pub packed with enthusiasts. Very sweet in a péché mignon kind of way, dessert replacement minty fruit acids from this jammy complex every fruit maze. Earthy branches woodiness is intense and reminds of Quebec’s sugar times, candi sugar hints. I wonder how this would look with more hops involved (here we’re once again dealing with those soapy english hops which lets the age shines through), I guess they’ve tried it and didn’t like it as much or a glass of the impy did set them straight. Subtle and transcendant, taking the years in easily.
The summer 2005 version tucked in at 10% only and felt less rich. The fruitiness was just as big with the vanilla notes being as enticing, but the general flavor integration left less impression, feeling less rich, more whiskeyish. As it warms, it becomes nicely toasty, but also stickier which is less interesting. be sure to take your time to let it breathe, but I’d only give this version 3.9-4.1 as opposed to 4.4.

Bu à Vices et Versa, en fut (12 oz). Rousse foncée et brumeuse, moyen collet avec de la dentelle. Arome de boisson aux fruits fortifier, avec un légé bouquet de malte. Goût plaisant de vin fortifier et d’explosion de petits fruits malté. Elle est à la fois réchauffante et rafréchissante!

Aroma:pineapple hops... Appearance:hazy cooper,good head... Flavor:pineapple hops,alcohol,malt....

From a mason jar. Cloudy dark amber color with no head. Appealing aroma od alcohol and caramel. Excellent flavor of carmel, maple, alcohol and it’s slightly peppery, bitter finish. Light to medium body, liquorous, very soft carbonation, almost flat. Thanks to Rastacouere for bringing back the jar from the brewpub.