3.7 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 14/20
2007: Pours a deep chestnut brown, with a thin but dense cap of tan foam. Nose is fruity, apple character, with some significant malt and dark fruits (plums). Alcohol is apparent but subtle in the nose. Flavor is very roasty with notes of figs, plums and raisins. Green apple returns in the finish, but not too much so. Tail is just a little cloying with lots of chocolate. Body is medium.
4 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 5/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 5/5 OVERALL 16/20
2007 vintage 22 oz. bottle. Pours deep mahogony brown with a fine thick tan head with excellent retention. Sweet sappy aroma of figs, dates and some warm gingerbready, biscuity notes. Balanced, but malt forward fruity flavor, with some some overaged briney character. Full-bodied, relatively highly carbonated and creamy smooth with just a touch of alcohol on the finish. This was an impressive barleywine; just unfortunately cellared a bit too long.
1.8 AROMA 3/10 APPEARANCE 2/5 TASTE 3/10 PALATE 1/5 OVERALL 9/20
2006 vintage. A sticky, syrupy mess of a barleywine. I can’t understand any reference to balance with regard to this offering. The extreme alcohol sits right up front on the nose like the stink of Aristocrat vodka. Just below the fog of alcohol lies a flat aroma of stale tobacco and sweet brandied prunes. Prunes and raisins dominate the palate with dark brown sugar, spent tea leaves, cherry, and leather trailing in the midpalate. The finish lacks inspiration with just barely a whisper hop bitterness to speak of and hyper-saturated sugars building potency with each sip. Once again, out of balance.
3.9 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 17/20
Late 2007 batch. Pours an attractive chestnut-brown with a thin head. Head soon drops but leaves a persistent ring. Complex aroma of caramel, raisons, plums and a light detectable alcohol. The taste matches the aroma; caramel maltiness, dark fruits like figs and plums. There’s a light hoppiness in the background. The mouth feel is smooth with a light carbonation. This barleywine leans towards the English style rather than the high-hopped American versions. Very nice.
4.2 AROMA 9/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 18/20
2006 bomber. Pours a golden orange with brown highlights. Aroma is wonderful and very sweet, with sugar, perhaps some cherries, plums, cinamonn and some caramel. Flavor is not malty like most barleywines, just a bit of hop bitterness in the finish. Caramel, slight hints of chocolate, some roasted brown sugar, and just an overall sweetness. One of the best BW’s I’ve had.
3.5 AROMA 5/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 15/20
Had a try at this at the brewpub, draft,
Intense Flavor, but not over the top. Not sure how many of these anyone could handle in a night.
4.3 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 5/5 TASTE 9/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 17/20
perhaps the best barleywine I’ve ever had, barleywine fans should NOT pass up a chance for this one!
3.7 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 16/20
Although most aren’t impressed by this barleywine, I found it to be rather pleasant.
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