Country of Origin: Great Britain
Availability: 2000 vintage; limited edition.
Price comparison: About three times the price of everyday beer.
Alcohol percentage by volume: 11.5% at bottling. Nearly a 12 Percent Beer.
Cute bottle/label? Brown glass 275 ml bottle, label printed to resemble aged, stained parchment.
Appearance: Opaque reddish brown; not much head and no lacing.
Scent: Very sweet: malt, candy, raisins, and alcohol.
Flavor: The malt is stronger than the hops but not overpowering it. Very fruitlike and sweet, with an almost caramel finish.
Impressions: Easy does it; the label proclaims this to be an "old ale" but really it's a young barleywine. Also, I think it's stronger now than 11.5% ABV, though I've no proof other than its flavor and its kick, which reminded me of whiskey.
Will I buy this beer again? Yep. All reports say it ages well. I want to try some other vintages, if I can find them, and cellar some too. The teensy little bottles shouldn't take up too much space.
Rating:
4½ out of 5 cute beer glasses
Reviewed: December 20, 2003
