Bottle. Tasted along side 2000 and 2004 versions and it is slightly better than 2000 and much better than 2004. This is a fantastic beer. Creamy off-white excellent fully lasting head. Amber colour. Exstremely well balanced sweet/bitter aroma and flavor. Fantastic palate. Enjoy it if you can find one.

Bottle. # 44700. Pours a slightly hazy amber colour with a fast disappearing off-white head. Malty vinous aroma with lots of dark fruit. Malty flavor with lots of dark fruits and caramel. Warming malty finish with some caramel in the aftertaste.

Bottle #84029 (1997 bottle drank in 2004) – Poured a hazy nut-brown color ale with off-white medium head with average retention. Carbonation is quite good for a 7 years old barley wine/strong ale. Aroma is comprised of sweet plums, in fact very sweet plums, with strong malt. Taste is quite warm, but no alcohol taste discernable, with again some sweet plums. Also, as expected this as a full creamy body. This is another great one from Fullers but I still think that the 1998 was more balanced with a bit less sweetness which made it more enjoyable.

Bottle #59658, sampled 10 Jan 2004, 6 ys old
Amber color. Very strong malt and caramel aroma and flavor. Sweeter than younger examples (1999 and 2000, 3 years old), less complex and fruity, but still a giant beer. Thanks a lot Jens (Ungstrup), for this rare bottle!