Raspberry-flavoured pastry stout (imitating a Scottish dessert in this case), aged in whisky barrels, bottle of three years old now. Medium sized, shred-lacing, greyish beige, fragile and opening head, very dark cloudy chocolate brown robe – as good as black, but not quite. Aroma of smoked horse meat and peat from peated whisky, black chocolate, Antwerp ‘Borstbollen’ or even cough syrup, raspberry juice, wood, tawny port, elderberry syrup, caramel, kahlua, liquorice, dust. Sweet onset, elderberry syrup and blackberry jam with indeed a clear ripe raspberry flavour yet without the sweetness, and embedded in a moderately carbonated, full, oily-vinous maltiness with layers of toffeeish, dark-chocolatey and nougat-like malts, filling the mouth. Retronasal ‘smoky’ peat is quite pronounced while this raspberry-sweet-sourness goes on, further adorned by the port-, liquorice- and horse steak-like notes from the orthonasal aspect. Lactose sweetness pierces through here and there and does not help to tie all these contrasting flavours together – and neither does this whisky-like alcohol or woodiness that show up in the final stage: even after minutes of sipping and with an open mind, this construction remains odd and difficult to rate due to the flavours never truly matching with each other. Experimental combinations work out wonderfully sometimes – but can go terribly wrong as well. This one is somewhere in the middle of those two extremes, if you ask me.

Bottle sample at a tasting at Yoav's place. Black, whiskey, peat, raspberry, wood, malt, alcohol, sweet, slightly sourish, boozy.

Bottle. Buxton online shop. Unclear, dark brown. Fine off white head. Nose has cardboard. Raspberry pip. Some woody spirit. Taste is sharp and tart. Some raspberry sweetness. Medium body is dry and lightly acidic. Fine carbonation. Tart finish. If this is right, it’s a complete mess.

Panda at home thanks to Colin. A clear dark brown black coloured pour with a loose halo of dark tan head. Aroma is odd phenol and jam rolly polly, scotch whiskey, booze, brandy snap sugars, spicy. Flavour is composed of semi sweet, light tang, pineapple, dried fruits, cranberry, smoky phenols, light medical, some vinous funky vibes, warming alcohol, light barrel. Fun.

Bottle at home, from Buxton online, 09/01/21. Light black with a tan covering that dissipates to a swirl and edgeing. Nose is big Scotch barrel, medicinal notes, smoked whisper, dark malts, berry fruits, chocolate tones, light perfume. Taste comprises tangy berry fruits, bitter sweet notes, light campfire, Scotch barrel, smoke, tarte berry skins, raspberry shmack. Medium plus bodied, fine carbonation, semi drying close with a tangy Scotch soaked climax. Interesting impy ... kind of grew on me ... good barrel profile for sure and fair complex.