Merry Christmas to beer drinkers everywhere. A small bottle, last of a three bottle selection purchased online from the brewery, the previous two rated back in the Ratebeer days. Aroma: malt, raisins, port. Appearance: opaque mulligatawny soup, no head to speak of. Palate: creamy on the tongue, boozy hit at the back of the mouth, negligible carbonation; finish is warming, long and lingering, alcoholic strength is subtle. Taste: heavily sweet with malt, rock candy, and some butter. A nice winter warmer, great mouthfeel, but far too sweet. After eleven years of cellaring I would have expected something a little more sophisticated.

Bottle shared by Grumbo: Poured caramel with tan head. Aroma is woodsy, light booze, mellow fruits. Taste is super sticky fruit, mellowed a bit, sugary, light booze warming.