 Beer Snob (356), Ontario, Canada
Jan 2, 2008
Heresy perhaps, but I had a hard time finishing bottle #Q06609 (2007).
And boy was I excited on New Years eve when I took the bottle out of the fridge and let it sdtand at room temperature for an hour to bring it to the desired serving temperature. Poured completely headless with a beautiful opaque plum appearance and an aroma like a good rum soaked fruitcake.
First few sips were astonishing like a rich cider mixed with red wine. But viscousness is not my thing. The alcohol burst was very pleasant, but it became a task to drink after the first few sips.
Sorry, just my opinion, but I’m glad I left some on the shelves of the LCBO.
Should I have aged it for a decade?
All in all, I found the experience to be very disappointing and the instructions on the bottle to be vaguely pretentious.
Bigsilky (229), Boone, North Carolina, USA
Oct 7, 2008 2004 Bottle, cellar temp, into a bordeaux crystal. Hospitable aromas of warm spice cake, vintage leather, and vanilla infused toffee. Imagine Tawny Port dancing with Amantillado. Full embrace of the beer begins on the tip of the tongue and evelops the senses entire. All sides are confronted and it seems that even the gums have taste buds. The Tawny continues as a wave of cream and honeyed spice meld with golden raisins and a dose of oak fruit. Rich, velvet glove mouthfell gives way to brown sugar. Gracefully checked with a wool coat of alcohol and a touch of hop bitterness. Amazing, complex and needs several more years to mellow, although this one seems to have it’s life figured already.
nqualls (422), Tennessee, USA
Oct 4, 2008 2005 bottle. Poured a cloudy brown color...I don’t even want to say what it actually looked like...with a very thin tan head. Aroma of some malts, but huge alcohol notes. This was a little obnoxious. Flavor was figs, raisins, brown sugar and molasses. Loved the flavor. Thick syrupy mouthfeel.
Biddle_Brau (155), Midland Park, New Jersey, USA
Oct 1, 2008 Ruddy copper with red highlights and minimal head. Slight toffee aroma, malty, typical of a barleywine. Thick and syrupy flavor, alcohol quite evident, a true sippin’ beer. Raisins and dates dominate the fruit undertones of this big English barleywine. Would love to try well aged TH’s.
letsbeer (10), Brazil
Sep 30, 2008 Graaaande cerveja! O aroma é de malte, complexo, intenso, doce, defumado, logo de início percebe-se tratar de uma cerveja diferenciada. A espuma, bege, é praticamente inexistente. Zero de carbonatação. Quando servida, lembra mais um licor pela consistência viscosa. A cor, caramelada, é opaca em razão dos sedimentos, conformando um visual pouco atrativo. Vale lembrar que a garrafa não deve ser agitada antes de servir, para não misturar os sedimentos, que alteram o sabor. No paladar, destacam-se os maltes, quase um "whisky", num conjunto bastante complexo e encorpado, um pouco amadeirado (carvalho), mas perfeitamente harmonizado e equilibrado. Amargor médio, mas discreto em função do excelente equilíbrio. No final, curto pela falta de carbonatação, sobressai o malte, convidando para um próximo gole.
Jonte (402), Gothenburg, Sweden
Sep 27, 2008 Updated: Oct 1, 2008Bottle from 2005. Deep red/brown color with a minimal beige head. Aroma: Very sweet and malty, alcohol, raisins, nuts, caramel and dried fruits. Flavor: Very sweet and strong wine like. Toasted malt, caramel, raisins, figs, nuts, syrup, chocolate, alcohol, and oak. Full bodied with very little carbonation.
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