Pours clear dark brown N: ’banandrenge’ banana flavoured bonbons, dark caramel, bready, vinous prune juice T: same style but with a tad sour hue.. Oxidiced prune juice with a hint of caramel malt.. Aftertaste is slightly vinous.

Deep reddish brown of color with a beige head. An aroma of rye bread, prunes, sweets, candy and no hops. A flavor of sweet malt, prunes, sweets, candy and no hops.

-- rated with beerbasher/winphone

Bottle shared by Damian and Lona. Opened 2015 which probably influenced the aroma and taste. Caramel, raisin, malts.

Shared at a tasting hosted by Steebo on February 13. The pour is a dark brown, definitely not see through with a thin finger of medium tan colored head that falls almost immediately to a ring. The aroma is a little boozy up front, letting the 11% make its presence known. There is a good heavy raisin on this one as well. Just a hint of caramel rounds out the back end with a good dose of oxidation. I think this one would’ve been good a year or two ago. The flavor is very mimicking of the nose. There is the caramel, raisin, light molasses or brown sugar, and the oxidation drowns out in the end. The mouth feel is definitely light. The carbonation isn’t really there anymore, and it slides right off the tongue. The aftertaste is lingeringly oxidized raisin and molasses. Not too bad, but I wish I’d gotten to one of these fresher

Bottle from Mike’s Barleywine tasting, thanks for the opportunity! Big fruit and sherry notes with a bit of caramel still left. Great to try but maybe a bit over the hill.

Bottle that it seems like it’s probably time to drink. Pours a very dark reddish-brown with a tan head that fades. Rich aroma, booze, dark fruits, wood, grass, maybe a hint of spices. Taste is sharp and boozy, of dark fruits, yeast, wood, then picks up smoother roasted malt, caramel, and bitter coffee notes, with just a hint of faded hops. Lingering sharpness. Maybe a bit old but still tasty.

UPDATED: FEB 15, 2015 Bottle: Deep, murky brown & copper color with a fading khaki collar. Aroma of sticky caramel, toffee, plum, apple, faint red grape, a slight touch of papery oxidation, & moderate butterscotch. Mildly earthy. Flavor is lightly oxidized with notes of stale caramel, toffee, earth, toast, mild molasses, plum, hints of anise, & a light sprinkle of cocoa dust. Perhaps a little past its prime but still OK.

Rated in 2014, so aged 6 years. Looks reddish brown, with a ring of foam. Smells winey, with hints of cherry. Pleasantly tart. I’m not sure if this is infected or what, but it is lightly sour and a bit winey, in a very appealing way. Very enjoyable.

"bigger maltiness in this brew, in the nose and flavor. holy cow. i wonder if it was always this ridiculously malt driven or if the hops faded after 2+ years in the bottle. lots of toffee & dark fruit sweetness. booziness in the aroma but not the taste. overall, a nice beer, but average for Alesmith, and not wuite as good as their "regular" barleywine. you’d expect an anniversary ale to be a step up..."

Bottle from trade. Nice notes of Dark Fruit, vino, caramel and bread. Very smooth for 11% and everything I expected from a great brewery like Alesmith.