Poured from 500mL bottle. Dark copper brown with light beige head. Caramel malt, mild biscuit malt, quite simple and malty. Okay.

Scotch or wee heavy bought at a supermarket in Aberdeen, shared with Goedele. Thin and open, tiny-bubbled, pale greyish beige head over a clear, deep mahogany brown robe with ruddy highlights and lots of lively sparkling. Aroma of wet toast, dry caramel, old walnut shells, diluted chicory, butterscotch, medlar, pear skin, tea, 'Haagse hopjes', dried bayleaf. Sweetish, rounded onset, subtle notes of medlar, pear and blueberry with a vague red plum-ish sourish edge, medium carbonation, slick but quite full body. Smooth butterscotch- and caramel-like maltiness with brown-bready accents, slowly developing a mild toasty bitter side somewhat reminiscent of chicory, but remaining altogether rather subtle for the style; light herbal, tea-ish hops in the end, becoming a bit more spicy eventually. Classically styled, balanced, clean and easygoing example of a perhaps somewhat underrated style. Certainly enjoyed this one - in the setting of an old-fashioned Scottish hotel, which may have added to the experience...

Bottle from a small grocery in Edinburgh. Red, low to medium carbonation. Sweet malt and sugar, caramel, full palate but not overly sweet or heavy. Light hop character.