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

Bottle from Beers of Europe. Clear mahogany with medium seized off-white top. Light in aroma; some caramel, sweet malts, spice, straw. Taste has a nice balance of malts, caramel, cola, raisins, light orange zest, floral bitterness. Surprisingly good subtle complexity to this for the strength. Near medium bodied, zingy carbonation, good body for 4.5%. Very good.

Bottle online from Beers Of Europe. Pours a deep chestnut colour with a thin throthy beige head. Aromas of berries, sweet jam, toffee and caramel. Taste has stewed fruit with more berries, sweet jam, toffee and caramel. Medium body with a slightly fizzy mouthfeel. Not bad.

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 6.5

Bottle from Beers Of Europe. Appearance - deep brown with the odd red chink. Not much head and carbonation quite low on opening. Nose - burnt toffee, dates. Taste - brown bread, dates again. Palate - medium to full bodied, sweet middle and finish. Overall - I think this almost fits into 'old ale' style.

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

500ml bottle. Poured a clear chestnut brown colour with a long-lasting frothy off-white head. The aroma is roasty malt, nutty, light chocolate woody hop. The flavour is moderate sweet, light bitter with a roasty sweet caramel malt, nutty, light dry hop bitter palate. Medium bodied with soft carbonation.

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6.5

500ml bottle [thanks to Grumbo for this seasonal!]. Clear, mahogany colour with small to average, thick, frothy to creamy moderately lasting, well lacing, off-white to beige head. Fruity and minimally floral, hoppy aroma, sweet-ish, slightly chocolately, minimally nutty, malty basis. Taste is minimally sweet dark malty, minimally chocolately, fruity hoppy hints of red berries, a touch of blueberry, floral hoppy finish. Nice.

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

Bottle many thx to Grumbo, Merry Xmas Mate, cons 2017-12-29 Göteborg AR: roasted malt, brown sugar, caramel AP:dark amber, cream brown steady lid F: rich carbonated, dry, wee bitter, brown sugar, wee caramel, roasted malt

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

Cask at the Wig & Pen, Norwich. Pours dark amber with a small off-white to beige head. Aroma of malt, biscuit, toffee, dark fruit and very light winter spice. Moderate sweetness and medium bitterness. Medium body, slight oily texture, soft carbonation.

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

Bottle from the Beers of Europe Christmas Crate. Copper coloured pour with an off-white head. Caramel and soft fruit aroma. Sweet fruit flavours with a splash of sultana and a whisper of dates. Quite sweet. Not too bad.

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

Hand-pulled half-pint in a local Wetherspoons on 6th Dec 13. Lovely mahogany body with a creamy head that produced some impressive lacing. Spicy, biscuity malts and with dark hedgerow berries for an aroma and taste. A nice wintery feel to the whole thing: easy to sip and I thought it slightly different and interesting. Semi-sweet with no noticeable hop bitterness, some toffee notes as it warmed a little. Mid-body depth with enough alcohol to allow the true flavours to assert themselves.

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

Cask at the white lady... Copper brown... Thick creamy tan head... Soft malt nose... Dark makt fruits.. Light body... Sift roast... Little bland... Dull