UPDATED: DEC 24, 2021 Very dark brown with a tan head. Aroma is brown sugar, molasses, dark fruit, nutty, vanilla and wood spice. Taste is heavy sweet and medium/heavy bitter.

UPDATED: JUN 2, 2021 Shared, 2020 bomber poured to a snifter displaying a dark brown color, a decent layer of brownish tan froth, with light strands of lacing on the glass. The nose was malty, toast+, a hint of cocoa, sweetness, dark caramel, treacle, and lurking alcohol. Medium to full bodied, the taste was similar notes, with touches of roasted bitterness & oaky astringency, and elevated, bourbony booze that was quite warming.

UPDATED: FEB 7, 2021 Flaska från trade, årgång 2018, 14%. Mörk mahognybrun, något murken med liten beige krona. Tobak, läder, druvsötma, lite dessertvinstoner, kolaremmar, fikon, katrinplommon i mängder, bourbon, fat, kokos, vanilj, mandelmassa. Maffig och dekadent brittisk BW, fantastiskt gott.

UPDATED: DEC 18, 2020 2017 22oz bottle. Pours nearly pitch black in color with some mahogany at the edges and capped by a small tan layer of foam that settles to a thin film. The aroma shows notes of dark cocoa, toasted caramel, toffee, and a touch of dark fruit over a lightly roasted and rich caramel malt base with further notes bourbon and oak laden vanilla. The flavor follows suit with notes of dark chocolate, toffee, and a touch of dark fruit up front and backed up by the rich, caramel malts and bourbon oak on the back end to smooth things out. The vanilla from the oak comes through and adds further depth and complexity. Full bodied and smooth with soft carbonation that leads to a rich, toasted caramel, toffee, dark cocoa, and bourbon oak on the finish with lingering notes of creamy vanilla. I’ve been waiting a long time to try this beer and it lived up to the hype. Delicious stuff and easily one of the best barleywines around. Awesome beer.

UPDATED: NOV 27, 2019 2011 vintage pour opaque cola brown with thin tan head. Nose caramel, green apple, light earthy. Taste light oxidation comes off as minerality, then caramel, green apple.

UPDATED: JUL 30, 2019 Aromas of chocolate oak dark malt syrup fig raisin charred malt malted barley campfire ash toffee barrel wood bourbon vanilla dark fruits sawdust and wort malts. Taste is campfire ash chocolate cocoa nibs oak barrel wood malted barley roasted barley vanilla toffee oak bourbon burnt caramel alcohol sugars dark fruits figs raisin plums prunes and charred malts. Overall, absolutely amazing with big stout notes. More like a stout than a barley wine.

UPDATED: JUN 22, 2019 Not something I would drink everyday but good experience. Very sweet maybe too sweet. Oak flavor helps to balance out. Supper for sure.

UPDATED: MAY 12, 2019 Pours dark with medium hard that lingers. Aromas of bourbon and vanilla. Roasty taste with bourbon and chocolate. As it warms up malt becomes more apparent with sticky molasses flavor. This beer really grows on me.

UPDATED: JAN 26, 2019 Pours slightly golden chocolate with a parchment head. Aroma presents bourbon, woody and toasted malt notes. Flavor yields bourbon, woody, earthy and malty tones - it makes no bones about packing a punch. Texture features heavy body and peppy fizz. Csn you weather this storm?

UPDATED: JAN 23, 2019 2015, 14%, draft at Saraveza. Chestnut brown with diminishing tan foam. Scrumptious Nutella and caramel nose has but a spot of something evoking a cabinetmaker's shop, which goes both to the plus and minus sides -- there is burly wood but also solventy lacquer. Dried fig, vanilla, toast, and the burned edges of grilled veggies. Big, thick texture and crunchy bitterness, but hides its size even with the oddly tart and resinous finish.