7.4

Appearance - 7 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8

Old rating from 31-03-16 - A Xmas gift from a friend who went to Lewis for work. 275ml bottle. Pours a dark reddish colour with a very small beige head. Aromas of sweet malt, toffee & caramel. Taste is much as aroma along with biscuit, and mild alcohol. The finish has a sweet caramel bitterness. Overall a very good winter ale.

7.5

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 7 | Overall - 7.5

9.3 oz. bottle from Florida Cork & Bottle. Pours a crystal clear orange-bronze color with a beige head and good retention. Good lacing. Caramel malt aroma. Faint caramel flavor with some dark fruit and a long, mild hops and bitter finish. Mellower than I expected. Medium body. Light carbonation with a semi-slick mouthfeel. Low bitterness. The 7.5% ABV is well hidden. Tastes like a typical amber ale to me. Okay.

6.6

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 5.5

Poured a medium viscous brown. Nuts? Fruits spices. Some yeasty syrupy gunk. Ok but a bit off.

6.4

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6.5

Dark amber in color with a small head. Aroma is fruitcake, spice and winter fruits. Taste is fruitcake and hops.

7.2

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7

Bottle @ Broadway Dive Bar, Manhattan (Mar 2023). Pours clear reddish brown with a large foamy beige head, caramel malt, honey, cloves aroma, low carbonation, initially sweet medium bitter caramel malt taste with nutmeg, faint cloves, thin body, long medium bitter finish. Smooth and spicy, a great winter warmer.

7.1

Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 5 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8.5

Cask at Royal Oak, Borough. Aroma is surprisingly lacking.. malty dark fruits in there. Opaque chestnut. Frothy off-white head thins out. Initial sweet start soon followed by fruit Vinegar sourness. Thick. Oily. Average-fizzy carbonation. Long astringent finish. Enjoyable. Suspect that the bottle wasn't so sour?

Historic check-in

6

Really tastes more like a traditional winter ale than a barleywine.

7.1

Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7.5

Bottle pour at Tørst. Pours rubescent brown. Toffee, biscuit, caramel, cinnamon, nutmeg, little boozy. Medium body. Good.

7.4

Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8.5

9.3oz bottle. I don't really think of this as a Barleywine as much as a Winter Warmer. Malty, pleasant amber vanilla notes, fleshed out by the oats. Faint hop balance. Great balance and drinkability overall, a blast from the past in that regard. Any warmth from the alcohol is perfectly balanced in. Smooth, sweet finish. Great beer. A classic in my opinion.