Bottle bought in Fukushima prefecture Japan. I saw this in a liquor shop near the highway and had to buy it. A deep ruby black coloured pour. A boozy port like aroma. Everything about this beer is complex in a big way, so much going on. It really is a sipper at 18%. Tastes sweet, port, caramel, dark fruit, malt, hint of coffee, distinct prune taste. A really unique barley wine. Worth experiencing once.

Blue bottle. 1997 vintage, I suppose. Blackish amber color with not head. Aroma like a raisin wine or Vin Santo. Raisins and other dried fruits, port; sweet with a fruity, sour tinge. Flavor is the same, and nicely balanced by chocolate. I tasted this blind, and did not dream it could be beer. Extreme flavors are very well integrated by age. Note: the first time I had this, it was repugnant and undrinkable. Basically it was a mixture of soy and Worcestershire sauce. Bottle to bottle differences surely explain much of the debate concerning this beer.

1997 vintage bottle. Poured into two separate glasses. Aroma is really like a fine cognac, fine alcohol aromas permeate the air as I smelled the just-poured beer. I acquired 3 bottles and was looking forward to it - until I read some of the recent reviews. However, I think that some of the bottles were likely mishandled in some way - causing the poor experience since the bottle I had was phenomenal. The beer had some very basic notes of soy sauce and salt - but so little that it did not detract from the beer as so many extremely aged beers have the unfortunate mishap of being. The aroma was initially terrible smelling, but the flavor was great. The beer has mellowed quite a bit, so much so that it would have been wonderful to have been able to have a bottle when it was first sold. However, I’ll take this beer the way it is now.

Bottle (1997 vintage... special thanks to Cletus.) Pours a dark and viscous brown with no carbonation... none, but thick and almost oppressive aromas of soy sauce, molasses, prunes, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, unsalted soy sauce and some soy sauce with MSG. Damn... that’s an aroma that sticks with you. It almost comes off as salty. As I look back in the bottle there is a pretty horrifying sludge on the bottom that growls at me. I like the bottle plenty, but I’m not sure if it will give it back to me. First sip... well... I bet the only time I had something anything like this was 15 years ago when I last tried it. With no palate refinement other than a taste for Bells beer, I remember thinking this was pretty gross. Now, with well over a thousand ratings, I still think this is borderline gross. Then again, it is strong and interesting. Almost like a moonshine and soy sauce mix. I can’t say I like it, but I can’t say I hate it. I can say that I won’t buy another at $7-10. This would be a heck of a lot better without the soy sauce. There is a lot of fruity goodness hiding, but it’s burried.

bottle, 1997 vintage, pours pitch black, no head, lots of sludge. Aroma is funky soy and worchestshire sauce. Smells like a steak marinade. Flavor is sweet, very sweet malt and a soy/ginger finish. Unpleasant.

1997 bottle. Unclear dark orange brown. Heavy chocolate aroma, alcohol and some sweetness. Tastes of soy and chocolate. I tried another bottle about 6 months ago which must have been infected or badly stored, it was undrinkable, sour and strange while this bottle is interesting and sweet.