Mano Negra aged on calvados barrels, from a 75 cl bottle (larger than what I am used to from Alvinne in those days), numbered #861; many thanks to Johan for sharing this rare vintage bottle. Irregular, moussy, opening, yellowish beige head, quickly opening and lacing in shreds over a very dark, hazy burgundy-bronze beer, almost blackish but still translucent under bright light. Rich, aged, complex nose of old dry sherry, plum wine, toffee, moist wood, old red wine, sawdust, old dusty chocolate bars, hazelnuts, fig compote, ripe blackberries, dry forest floor, dried blackcurrant. Sourish onset with sweet core, a mix of blue plum, blackcurrant, figs and blueberries, soft carb and rather vinous mouthfeel, toffeeish malt body with thinly chocolatey edges, nutty, effects of drying lactic sourness and old red wine, lovely woody, 'dusty' and oxidized finish, old port-like with tannic woodiness, but not too much outspoken calvados flavour; herbal hoppy and roasty black malt touches as well. Beautiful Mano Negra variant, very thoroughly old Alvinne with the lactic sourish Morpheus and old dusty Alvinne barrel effects put to the foreground in a graciously aged way. Alvinne truly remains the unchallenged king of modern sour ales in Belgium.

Huge Bourgogne ba and Calvados ba. Incredibly smooth Aged astoundingly Superb