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

Panda at home, thanks to Kenneth, 17/03/2026.
Black topped with a tan cap that thins to a swirl then veers to the edge.
Nose is dried fruit rinds, bourbon nip, molasses, chocolate, dark malts.
Taste comprises chocolate shavings, dark malts, figs, dates, fruit cake mix, molasses, bourbon bite, light spice.
Full bodied, oily feel, drying close with a balanced rising boost.
Solid sipper.

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

19th February 2026
Nowhere on the bottle does this say it's Batch 5. The label says Double Barrel. Shouldn't that be the name - Electric Roads Double Barrel? We do make life hard for ourselves! Anyway, this is a 16.7% double barrel aged barleywine called Electric Roads. It's a near opaque dark brown beer, ephemeral small pale tan head. Smooth palate, pretty light for the abv, but there is a slight viscosity in the lightness. Decent fine minerally carbonation, doubly so for a barleywine that is well past any non fortified wine. Light bodied but rich malts, mild caramel and dark toffee and decent malt cream. Big rich bourbon barrel, rich ripe bourbon soaked fruits. Savoury bourbon. Some offset from oak barrel induced vanilla. Airy finish. Quite the slave to its barrels but, that's fine, coz the barrelling is bloody marvellous!

Appearance - 9 | Aroma - 9 | Flavor - 8.5 | Texture - 10 | Overall - 8

Bottle, shared with friends. Pours clear hazel, small beige head, some lacing. Aroma is werthers, bourbon, dark sugars, toffee, vanilla. Flavor is quite sweet, light plus bitter. Full body, silky mouthfeel. Good.

Intense, stingy and woody oaky with some roastiness, barrel, vanilla, toffee, syrup, toffee, dates and prunes, hints of raisins. Hints of tartness as it warms up. A bit heavy and slightly boozy

Appearance - 7 | Aroma - 7.5 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8.5

Short pour at Side Project. Pours black, with a small, beige head. The nose is maple, bourbon, mellow coffee, cinnamon, and bright caramel. Sweet and sugary, with a bright, easy booziness. Heavy body, syrupy, and thick. Beautiful, barrel-forward, and clean.

Caramely malty, syrupy and heavy with toffee, barrel, vanilla, bourbon, oak and hints of sweetness. Quite heavy but complex and balanced, intense barley wine.

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

Draught at the Cellar, 1/18/25.
Dark, clear. Little/no head.
Rich bourbon, big, mocha-laced maltiness with lots of caramel and light vanilla. Not boozey in the nose.
Rich and malty, lightly syrupy with huge caramel. Bourbon acidity sneaks up on you and explodes on the finish, joined by warming alcohol. A bit punchy and raw as a result. Has some great elements and perhaps it's just too young, but I'm glad I'm a SP member and not a PP member!

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

Poured from a 500 ml bottle. Aroma is malt forward with tons of toffee and dark caramel. Toasted bread and hints of mutes. Faint chocolate, treacle and molasses. Light bourbon and faint oak notes. Light oak notes. Pours dark brown, almost black with a medium large, medium thick, light mocha head that recedes steadily to the edges. Flavor is somewhat sweet with loads of dark caramel and toffee. Lighter toasted bread and nuts with even lighter chocolate and treacle. Medium low bitterness and medium alcohol notes. Light oak notes. Mouthfeel is full bodied with medium carbonation. Low astringency and medium alcohol warmth. Overall, a solid barleywine with great malt notes. Alcohol is well hidden.