UPDATED: OCT 15, 2022 Definitely one of the better beers I sampled at the brewery with Mackenzie in 2022. Rich and malty, caramel and toffee sweetness. Solid.

UPDATED: JAN 23, 2022 Backlog November 2017. Slightly unclear amber golden body under a dense beige head. A bit mild aroma of malt, caramel, and dry fruit. Taste id sweet malt, caramel, toffee, dry fruit and alcohol. Fine body and same aftertaste. Sweet and warming beer.

UPDATED: OCT 17, 2021 A dark reddish brown ale with a thin lacing mocha head. In aroma, sweet fruity caramel malt with dark fruits, licorice, alcohol warmth, very nice. In mouth, a nice sweet fruity caramel malt with light peated notes, alcohol warmth, dark fruits, very nice.

UPDATED: JUN 10, 2021 A smoked wee heavy? Anytime. You can taste the heavy scotch ale, but you need to drink this if you like smoked beer… or scotch…

UPDATED: MAY 4, 2021 440ml can - one of the top 30 beers in NZ according to the NW 2021 competition from 650+ tasted blind. Pours a gorgeous mahogany with a piffling tan head. Aroma is surprisingly mild with a bit of booze & some leather. Light to medium bodied the 9 malts don't create quite the malty feast I was hoping for, there is a burnt flavour, a bit of burning rubber and the malt is overtaken by the (hop) bitterness. While this beer looked wonderful in the glass, it disappointed as a drink. Maybe I got a bad can? This can was not worth the coin but I did finish it. Hard to know.

UPDATED: APR 27, 2021 can. Poured dark ruby with a typical beige head. Aroma is a bit tart and smokey. Full bodied with an oily texture, long finish with a tannin astringency. Flavour is complex, roasty malt, notes of cedar, charcoal and tart fruit.

UPDATED: JAN 25, 2021 33cl bottle. A clear amber beer with a off white head. Aroma of dark reddish malt, caramel, pine, red fruits, wood. Taste of reddish malt, caramel, pine needles, wood.

UPDATED: JAN 8, 2021 It’s like there was a fire at a Blenheim Orange Orchard and these guys decided to make a beer out of the Fireman’s water run off. Rubbish beer. The taste of burnt orange peels. Won silver in the 2020 Covid-19 survivors beer awards.

UPDATED: DEC 1, 2020 330ml bottle. Pours a deep gold and red with small amounts of off white head. Rich and toasty malt notes with caramel and toffee. Medium body with hints of peat and whisky with leather. Excellent beer if you like whisky.

UPDATED: NOV 1, 2020 It pours mahogany with ruby tints; the head is caramel-coloured and lingers. The aroma has notes of: caramel, oak barrel, wet wood, slight smoke, whisky, cracker, and peat. The taste is medium sweet that finishes lightly bitter. The palate is medium-full bodied, has light carbonation; the finish is medium. Overall, a little cloying, but satisfying.