(Cask at Wenlock Arms, London, 8 Aug 2008) Dark brown colour with frothy, beige head. Malty nose with dark fruit, prunes and chocolate. Malty taste with notes of dark fruit, prunes, raisins and dark bread. Bittersweet finish. Slightly above medium body, rather sweet. Nice one.

Bottle. Dark bronze colour with reddish tones. Head was huge and off-white and left masses of lacing. Subtle aromas of dark chocolate, dates and roasted notes. Flavour was malty, with some coffee and a decent hoppy finish. Unusual and enjoyable.

Bottled beer 6% according to label. got this from Tucker Maltings. Poured deep brown and with a good sized off white head. The aroma was malty and with some fruits, taste had many of the characteristics of the Downton Chimera IPA that I’d drunk earlier in the evening and which is on of my favourite bottled beers. This had a great roasted bitterness which really like the IPA lingered forever and a day, the strength is never overpowering it’s just there and you just want to sup away all night at this, some slight sourness coupled with those lovely roasty bitter flavours make this a really corking beer.

Cask (as Downton Dark Delight, also 5.5%). Dark amberish ruby/brown colour with mediumsized bubbly head. Aroma is hops, wood, some caramel and chocolate. Flavour is sweet caramel malts as well as grass and some wooden hints. The finish gets hayish/grassy and dry. Some slight roast also, once it got warmer.