UPDATED: NOV 6, 2020 Can pours hazy amber with a small off-white head. Aroma is phenolic, Band-Aid, smoke, bourbon, toffee. Flavor is also very phenolic, sweet and bourbony but the off-flavors dominate. Medium plus body, somewhat boozy.

UPDATED: MAR 22, 2019 Phwoar! One to share. Super strong but full of complex flavours. The bourbon really comes through in the aging.

Wow. Hard to break down because everything is in perfect harmony. Ruby amber pour with cream head. Caramel on the nose. Caramel, vanilla, bourbon, candy floss, christmas cake with raisins, dates, brandied dark cake, even star anise all come together under the unbelievably well controlled slug of 14% alcohol. That creates amazing length, the warm glow lingering on the palate forever. ---Rated via Beer Buddy for iPhone

Can poured a clear amber with a small lasting amber head. Aromas of caramel, bourbon, vanilla, rye and light dried fruit. Palate was medium bodied and smooth. Flavors of caramel, bourbon, oak, rye, light vanilla and light fruitiness with a smooth lingering bourbon finish.

Pours a deep clear amber with a thin white head. Nose is full of booze, some raisin sweetness. Taste is caramel, raisin upfront melding into bourbon (but not overbearing) and a boozy moderately bitter lingering finish. Such a damn good nightcap, a testament to Dainton At the moment.

Rich amber pour medium head and carbonation aromas bourbon dark fruit cocoa caramel fudge molasses mild honey grain toffee vanilla the flavours rich chocolate molasses light peat very mild white chardonnay yeast note Belgian touch no doubt boozy fruit and malt rich Barley wine lovely barrelling note strong flavours grain sweetness very enjoyable

355mL can from Bucket Boys 14%!!! 40IBU!?! PKD 6/3/18 Probably a bit sacrilegious having any sort of Barleywine with only 2 months on it - guess the barrel aged would help maturing it though. So yeah, a copper coloured brew with slight clarity, holds a small beige head during proceedings. Aromas are decent - stacks of pale caramel & golden toast, sweet cookies too - well like Anzac bickies maybe, golden syrup like - perhaps a touch of diacetyl, leading into notes of coconut, sweet spice (nutmeg-ish) & medium toast oak; and inevitably booze. Notes of sultana & vanilla as it warms. Plenty of length too it - drawn out, somewhat syrupy, carbonation is lower than the head would give credit for, that booze takes hold & drags things out - sort of doesn't feel that big though oddly. It's a bit rough - I'll give it that - sort of burnt caramels & overcooked biscuits, charred coconut, fresh pencil shavings, vanilla pod, newly toasted oak - christ that booze hits like a jack hammer! Bitterness probably a bit low too TBH - sort of need something to consolidate it all, and you're left with a mouth of booze & bourbon notes. I'd say age would make this a more kindly sort of beer for sure. However, it's not quite the long haul sort of brew - not enough body to soak up that booze & oak character, plus needs more bitterness to go the bitterness. Truly formidable, but all over the shop at this juncture.