Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8.5

22 ounce bottle into snifter; no bottle dating, but is a recent release. Pours fairly crystal clear dark ruby red/brown color with a 1-2 finger dense light khaki head with good retention, that reduces to a thin cap that lingers. Light spotty soapy lacing clings around the glass. Aromas of big caramel, brown sugar, toffee, brown bread, toasted biscuit, nuttiness, light chocolate, raisin, plum, fig, date, apple, herbal, wood, light pepper/leather, and yeast/toasted earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of dark/bready malt, fruity yeast, and light earthy hop notes; with great strength. Taste of big caramel, brown sugar, toffee, brown bread, toasted biscuit, nuttiness, light chocolate, raisin, plum, fig, date, apple, herbal, wood, light pepper/leather, and yeast/toasted earthiness. Light herbal/spicy bitterness on the finish; with lingering notes of caramel, brown sugar, toffee, brown bread, toasted biscuit, nuttiness, light chocolate, raisin, plum, fig, date, apple, and herbal/toasted earthiness on the finish for a while. Damn nice complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/bready malt, fruity yeast, and light earthy hop flavors; with a nice malt/bitterness balance and zero cloying sweetness after the finish. Light carbonation and medium-full bodied; with a very smooth and moderately creamy/bready mouthfeel that is great. Alcohol is very well hidden with minimal warming lingering after the finish. Overall this is an excellent old ale! All around great complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/bready malt, fruity yeast, and light earthy hop flavors; and very smooth and easy to drink for the ABV. A very enjoyable offering.