Big Country
Tempest Brewing Co. in Tweedbank, Scottish Borders, Scotland 🏴
Scotch Ale / Wee Heavy Regular|
Score
7.55
|
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An imperial-strength Scottish ale brewed with a rich base of Golden Promise malt and a subtle lift from crystal rye, then matured for 8 months in Auchroisk Speyside whisky barrels. The nose carries layers of oaky whisky, gentle spice, and caramel, while the palate delivers decadent notes of fruitcake, raisin, tobacco, and sticky toffee pudding, all wrapped in warming whisky character, and a smooth, lingering finish.
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8.1/10
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Appearance 7
Aroma 8
Flavor 8.5
Texture 8
Overall 8.5
330 ml can. Pours a dark brown with light head that settles quickly. Aromas of nougat, raisins, sweet bourbon (as opposed to whiskey…) and caramel malts. Flavors follow same but more whiskey notes now. Sweet and warm but still nicely balanced. Very good.
Tried
from Can
from
Dranken Geers
on 24 Apr 2026
at 22:45
7.8/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 7.5
Texture 7
Overall 8
Can direct from Tempest. It pours super dark ruby - brown with a quickly dissipating yellow tan head. The aroma is rich maltage, vanilla, whisky fudge, toffee crisp, dried fruits, toasted fruit cake, pain au raisin, custard, toasty malts, marzipan, toasty brown sugar and heady whisky notes. The taste is slick, thick, bitter - sweet, toothy, chewy, whisky fudge, dried fruits & berries, fruit cake, Dundee cake, toasted nut, fruity whisky, warming booze, tangy, juicy and muted liquorice with smooth, warming finish. Fulsome body, fine carbonation and slick mouth feel. Heavy duty, but fun.
Tried
from Can
on 12 Mar 2026
at 16:41
7.9/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7.5
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
Tried
from Draft
at
Microbus Gateshead
on 21 Feb 2026
at 19:32
7.8/10
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Appearance 7
Aroma 7.5
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
Deep brown with a small tan head. Big notes of caramel, molasses, toffee, honey, dark tart fruits, whisky, wood. Full, oily body. This is a big fella. Good stuff.
Tried
from Can
on 07 Feb 2026
at 18:20
8/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
Can sampled at Free Beer anniversary. Clear deep amber to mahogany. Honey, sugary malts, milk chocolate, light herbal, toffee, whisky. Solid sweet, a but less bitter. Slick oily body.
Tried
from Can
from
Free Beer Co. Duinoord
on 22 Nov 2025
at 22:27
7/10
keg at the big swally ...dark black ...thin tan lacing ...soft sweet chocolate ..massive iodine nose ..massive elastoplasts...soft iodine chocolate ...rich chocolate ...its balanced but its not right
Tried
on 20 Dec 2024
at 19:29
8.8/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 9
Flavor 9
Texture 8
Overall 9
Keg at big swally. Pours black, nose is chocolate, meaty, smoky, shortbread, taste is sweet, chocolate, smoky, peat.
Tried
on 20 Oct 2024
at 11:18