2010-03-09, vintage 2005, 4+ years old, 7-4-7-3-15=36
Black color; small head. The smoke aroma is still very nice, with roasted malt, and very light traces of oxidisation. The body is not very strong, there is a good mix of caramel, chocolate, light smoke, but also light liquorice and oxidisation, signs of age. Tired, but not bad.

2006-01-27, 8-4-8-4-16=40
Blond color. The malt aroma is overwhelmed by a pungent smokey and vanilla. Medium body, good mix of malt, liquorice, smoked malt; it ends with a coffeish note… Good.

Ahh, calumet at last. 2004 bottle consumed 3/6/05. Served lightly chilled in a tulip. Deep mahogany brown color to the body with a small amount of tan head, some retention. Some dark burgundy highlights can be seen on the edges when held to the light. Aroma of hickory, light bacon and charred fish, though it is not as strong as that makes it sound, allowing for a bit of bitter roast and black chocolate to creep in. Flavor retains the smokiness seen in the aroma (it "keeps it real" so to speak), and there is plenty of saltiness and dry chocolate. Ripe blackberries and dark raspberries are noted on the finish, with a lingering note of hickory smoke that is highly pleasant. The body was the weak point, in my sample, starting out a bit too carbonated and bubbly, with some thinning on the end. But as the beer approaches room temperature, the smoke and roast come forth and my qualms with the body are more or less forgotten. As far as flavor is concerned, this is the best smoked porter I’ve had, not being too smokey, but yet not making you hunt for the smoke either. If they could just work on getting a little more malt chewiness and thickness of body, it would be phenomenal, IMHO. Perhaps I need to try a fresher sample, which I am looking forward to doing in the future. 8/4/8/3/15
2005 draught at MondialHoly crap. This is one of the best beers I’ve ever had. Rich, thick, balanced smokiness, with pure luscious milk chocolate and mild roast. Touch of green hops flavor and a chewy, rich mouthfeel. Deep and dark, opaque with a big, creamy head. 8/5/9/5/18

(Brewed at Le Chaudron) Black beer; dark brown, mixed-bubbles head, good carbonation. Moccha, ink, walnuts and hazelnuts (or hazelnut chocolate), freshly sawn hardboard in the nose. Bitter-sweet chocolate, nutty and tobacco flavours but not really smoked as a Rauchbier. Faint sourish finish, nice touch for the balance. Typical for a porter/stout, the "chewy" factor is much higher than the probable apparent gravity. Slight but notable dry-out effect. A very nice, balanced porter. Unless it’s for the smoked factor, I cannot dig why René H. is so weary of ’old’ ratings. I confess as to have tasted a ’gold cap’. It is a porter - not a smoked beer, and I like it. Again thanks to MartinT and Rastacouere.

Allows very little light to escape its opaqeness that is topped with a light brown head. The nose is of a freshly extinguished fire pit, complemented with notes of coffee and dark chocolate, while the medium – full body is of smoked meat, chocolate, peaty, and smoky dark chocolate ending. Wonderful, if you love smoked malt beverages. Damn I shoulda posted this rating earlier as I sampled this in mid April 2003 and could have been one of the first to rate doh!!