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

So I had my favorites early in my tasting experiences, Belgian dark ales and imperial stouts. Barleywines are a relatively new style in the upper echelon. This stormy, wet evening in West Texas I and the prodigal new dog have a pint can from Evil Twin before us. Canned on 2/27/25 the stamp on the bottom says and Drink Fresh the label implores. My best globe glass, well, my only globe glass, is ready to receive. I see a clear, dark caramel body topped by a heavy head of khaki tan foam. The scent is somewhat subdued with a bit of ripe fruit and likewise with grain. I have a drink. My first reaction is that the beer is rather thin. The taste, fortunately more than compensates. Vanilla initially, plums, bread, a touch of toffee, cane syrup and malt. The tall abv is concealed, maybe it presents later in the tasting. Not the homer or even a triple I had anticipated but still a credible barleywine. I know it’s late May, just could not make it to June.