"Limburg’s heaviest beer", since 2009, a limited luxury edition of Winterkoninkske but refermented with champagne yeast. Coarse, irregular, deep beige head, almost light brown, dissipating under influence of the alcohol. Very dark mahogany colour, clear, almost blackish. Very rich, vinous aroma of chocolate sauce, maple syrup, pear, candied dates, raisins, calvados, cider, coffee powder, candi sugar, grapefruit, dandelions, sweet white wine. Sweet taste, even a bit cloying, but in a multi-layered, complex way, candied fruits, thick layers of chocolatey and caramelly malts enlightened by a spritzy carbonation, bitterish and aromatic spiciness, mild hop bitterness in the finish, a bit roasted, complex malt sweetness and a long, strong, drying but not astringent, brandy-like alcohol effect. Overpowering and luxurious, this is a fantastic winter beer. Think snowy evenings and fireplaces. I love this.

750 ml bottle into tulip glass, 2011 vintage bottling. Pours fairly pitch black color with a small fairly dense tan head with solid retention, that reduces to a thin lace cap that lingers. Slight spotty lacing clings on the glass, with a light amount of streaming carbonation. Aromas of big raisin, prune, blackberry, date, fig, molasses, licorice, red wine, dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee, dark bread, brown sugar, black pepper, and roast/yeast earthiness. Damn nice aromas with good balance and complexity of dark/roast/bready malt and fruity/spicy yeast notes; with great strength. Taste of big raisin, prune, blackberry, date, fig, molasses, licorice, red wine, dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee, dark bread, brown sugar, black pepper, and roast/yeast earthiness. Fair amount of roasted bitterness/earthy yeast spiciness on the finish; with lingering notes of raisin, prune, blackberry, date, fig, red wine, dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee, dark bread, pepper, and roast/yeast earthiness on the finish for a while. Incredible complexity and robustness of dark/roast/bready malt and fruity/spicy yeast flavors; with a great malt/yeast flavor balance and zero cloying sweetness after the finish. Light carbonation and fairly full bodied; with a smooth, fairly slick, and slightly syrupy/chalky mouthfeel that is great. Alcohol is very well hidden with only a small warming present after the finish. Overall this is an incredible Belgian strong dark ale. All around awesome complexity and balance of dark/roast/bready malt and fruity/spicy yeast flavors; and very smooth to sip on for the huge ABV. A highly enjoyable offering.

Thx! to Kraddel & Kogymo. 75 cl. bottle split by 2. American export version labelled as “Bink Grand Cru”. Very likely a vintage but an unknown one. Pours black with a small but small mocha head. Nose carries a light oxidation note but absolutely nothing is off here, boozy in a highly enjoyable way with lots of chocolate, very thick malts, syrup, light dark wood, molasses, light dark nuts, faint liquorish, very concentrated fruits, this feels almost BA, very nice. Taste is carries also a light a light oxidation note but nothing off here either, very heavy in a great way, lots of malt, liquorish (light), very think malt, wood, boozy in a phenomenal & complementary way, touch molasses, very thick, concentrate of dark dried fruits, faint caramel & black chocolate, light liquorish, brown sugar, faint yeast. Very thick & low carb. This is impeccable in every way & can easily stand ground with the best. A revelation here.