Cask at Cellar, Chester. Pours a very dark reddish-brown with a small foamy beige head and good lacing. There’s malts, honeycomb and alcohol in the aroma. In the mouth it is on the cusp between bitter and sharp and a touch of sweetness creeps in later on as well. Flavours start off with malts, dark fruits and alcoholic strength with later additions being chocolate and hints of coffee, liquorice and herbs. Finish is dry and decidedly boozy. This is rather nice but the alcohol is a bit too noticeable.

(Cask at King's Arms, Bethnal Green, London, 18 Nov 2023) Dark brown colour with hints of ruby. Creamy beige head. Malty, roasted nose with notes of chocolate, coffee, caramel and black bread. Malty, roasted taste with caramel, sweet liquorice, chocolate, coffee, dark bread and a mild herbal bitterness in the finish. Medium body, with a certain sweetness. Tasty, balanced and harmonious. Very nice.

Cask @ Victorian Craft Beer Cafe, Halifax. One of their Back In Black Beer Festival beers. Dark reddish-brown with a light-brown head. Quite thin tasting given its strength, although its aftertaste has a tad more oomph! It's milder than mild in design, but still strong enough in abv to have an impact. Its most dark-malty character is found in its aroma.

On cask at Port Street Beer House, pours a deep dark brown / near-black with a reddish tinge and a small tan head. Aroma brings out a nice toasted nut character, bready malt, and some roast. Flavour is surprisingly rich for a mild—this is how I want all my dark milds to be—with roasted malt, toasted nuts, a little toffee, and a touch of fruity espresso. This is damn nice.