Interbrau Thomas Hardy's Ale The Historical 2025 (French Oak)

Thomas Hardy's Ale The Historical 2025 (French Oak)

 

Interbrau in Villafranca Padovana (PD), Veneto, Italy 🇮🇹

Brewed at/by: Hepworth & Co
  Barley Wine - Barley Regular
Score
7.84
ABV: 11.3% IBU: - Ticks: 6
First brewed in 1968, Thomas Hardy's Ale is Barley Wine that improves its taste and aroma over the years. In 2015 a small quantity of Thomas Hardy's Ale was left to rest for months in oak barrels, just like the first vintage: this was our original "The Historical". The search for unique flavours led the 2025 Vintage to be aged with the roasted and spicy notes of French oak
 

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8.9
Appearance - 9 | Aroma - 9 | Flavor - 9 | Texture - 10 | Overall - 8

bottle at home March 2026 ...copper ...thin white lacing ..soft sweet caramel toffee fruit nose ...Light sweet caramel toffee fruit ..juicy sweet caramel crystal ..juicy sweet caramel toffee fruit 8.4

Cask at the blue blazer March 2026 ...deep copper ...small off white head ...beautiful crystal spangles nose ...juicy caramel sweet oily toffee ..juicy caramel mamts6...orange peel ..soft sweet fruit 8.9

Tried on 07 Mar 2026 at 19:22


8.4
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8.5 | Flavor - 8.5 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8.5

Bottle 01976 shared with McCash. Pours hazy orange with a thin beige head. Aromas of honey, leather and wood spice. Taste is sweet orange, golden sultanas, honey and spice again. Sticky but not cloying. Boozy warmth.

Tried on 01 Mar 2026 at 19:23


8.5

Bottle thanks to allmyvinyl.
Appearance - deep bright orange with a light haze. Beige, thin head.
Nose - syrup, honey, leather and woody.
Taste - sweet orange, golden sultanas, lychee and honey.
Palate - medium bodied plus with sticky texture, and a woody though still sticky finish.
Overall - luscious!

Tried from Bottle on 28 Feb 2026 at 15:33


8
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8

275ml bottle from The Westhill Service Station, Aberdeen - clear copper body with a short lasting off white head. Lots of boozy fruit cake and malt loaf vibes, really solid dried stone fruit taste, prunes, woodiness, dates. Warming and syrupy.

Tried from Bottle from Westhill Service Station (Hop Shop Aberdeen) on 07 Feb 2026 at 23:22


8.4
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8.5 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 9

Bought at Utobeer, Borough Market, London. Pours a clear ruby/copper body and a nice tan head with a small layer retention. Aroma's of fruit candy, wood/tannines, light sweet and a hint of fruity sour. Retronasal the tannines are a bit more upfront, with sweetness, fruit, a bit alcohol. Flavour is above moderate sweet with hints of fruity sourness and bitterness. Medium bodied, warming alcohol, soft carbonation. Long finish with some wood, light moderate bitter. Quite delicate, really nice.

Tried from Bottle from Utobeer Market Stall on 28 Jan 2026 at 20:13


8.3
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 9 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8

2025 Bottle. As in 2024 this edition is on French Oak.

Nose is toffee, apples, hint of caramel, pear drops, earthy note. Taste leads sweet, then a hit of a tart vinous, sherry note, leading to caramel, nuts, bread, prunes, stewed fruit pear drops, spice, woody barrel, in a drier than expected and spicy finish.

Lovely.

Tried on 25 Dec 2025 at 00:58