7.4

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

Cask at t Grill, Aberdeen. It pours darkest brown with a thick and frothy khaki head. The aroma is soft, sweetish, dried fruits, toasted fruit cake, dark roasted malt, raisin, fig, plum, cacao nibs, coffee grounds and a touch of festive spice. The taste is firmly dry roasted malt, bitter - sweet character, umami, liquorice root, angelica, festive spice, fragrant, cacao nibs, charcoal, burnt toast and toasted fruit cake with a drying, bitter finish. Average body and moderate cask carbonation. Works rather well. I'm always disappointed by the lack of local dark cask beer, so this is a welcome surprise.