22 ounce bottle into snifter, bottled in 11/2014. Pours very hazy deep ruby red, light orange/copper color with a 1 finger fairly dense and fluffy light khaki head with great retention, that reduces to a small cap that lingers. Nice dense spotty soapy lacing clings on the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation. Aromas of big tangerine, red grapefruit, lemon, citrus peel/zest, peach, plum, pear, fig, date, apricot, red apple, white grape/wine, honey, caramel, brown sugar, vanilla, toffee, bourbon, toasted oak, nuts, biscuit, and brown bread/dough; with lighter notes of coconut, peppercorn, pine, leather, tobacco, herbal, floral, grass, and yeast/oak/toasted earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of citrus/earthy hops, fruity yeast, dark/bready malts, and light-moderate bourbon barrel notes; with big strength. Taste of huge tangerine, red grapefruit, lemon, citrus peel/zest, peach, plum, pear, fig, date, apricot, red apple, white grape/wine, honey, caramel, brown sugar, vanilla, toffee, bourbon, toasted oak, nuts, biscuit, and brown bread/dough; with lighter notes of coconut, peppercorn, pine, leather, tobacco, herbal, floral, grass, and yeast/oak/toasted earthiness. Mild pine, citrus peel/rind, herbal, floral, grassy, peppery bitterness; and bourbon/oak tannin spiciness on the finish. Lingering notes of tangerine, red grapefruit, lemon, citrus peel/zest, peach, plum, pear, fig, date, apricot, red apple, white grape/wine, honey, caramel, brown sugar, vanilla, toffee, bourbon, toasted oak, nuts, biscuit, brown bread/dough, coconut, peppercorn, pine, leather, tobacco, herbal, floral, grass, and yeast/oak/toasted earthiness on the finish for a while. Fantastic complexity, robustness, and balance of citrus/earthy hops, fruity yeast, dark/bready malts, and light-moderate bourbon barrel flavors; with an awesome malt/bitterness and bourbon/oak spiciness balance; with no cloying/astringent flavors after the finish. Lightly increasing dryness from lingering bitterness and bourbon/oak spiciness. Light-medium carbonation and fairly full body; with a very smooth, creamy/silky/creamy/grainy, and lightly slick/sticky/resinous/rindy/tannic mouthfeel that is great. Mild increasing warmth of 10%, with minimal lingering barrel booze after the finish. Overall this is a fantastic barrel aged American barleywine. All around fantastic complexity, robustness, and balance of citrus/earthy hops, fruity yeast, dark/bready malts, and light-moderate bourbon barrel flavors; very smooth and dangerously easy to sip on for the big ABV, with the mildly bitter/tannic/drying finish; great soft feel for the ABV. Fantastic balance of citrus/earthy C hops, fruity yeast, and rich malts; with solid barrel presence/integration. Light residual sweetness with lingering dryness. A highly enjoyable offering, and outstanding spot on style example. Expected more barrel, but it was adequate. Minimal oxidation after 5 years. Did not prefer it over the base beer. --- Beer merged from original tick of Ardelle 2013 on 31 Aug 2019 at 19:24 - Score: Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 9 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8.5. Original review text: 22 ounce bottle into snifter, bottled in 11/2012. Pours moderate hazy ruby red/orange/copper color with a 1 finger dense and rocky light khaki head with fantastic retention, that reduces to a nice cap that lasts. Nice dense soapy lacing clings on the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation. Fantastic appearance. Aromas of big honey, caramel, brown sugar, toffee, orange, red grapefruit, lemon, lime, peach, plum, fig, date, pear, apricot, golden raisin, red apple, white grape, nuts, toasted biscuit, and brown bread/dough; with lighter notes of licorice, molasses, citrus peel/zest, wood, peppercorn, pine, leather, tobacco, herbal, floral, grass, and yeast/toasted earthiness. Mild cardboard oxidation in the aromas as it warms. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of citrus/earthy hops, fruity yeast, and dark/bready malt notes; with big strength. Taste of big honey, caramel, brown sugar, toffee, orange, red grapefruit, lemon, lime, peach, plum, fig, date, pear, apricot, golden raisin, red apple, white grape, nuts, toasted biscuit, and brown bread/dough; with lighter notes of licorice, molasses, citrus peel/zest, wood, peppercorn, pine, leather, tobacco, herbal, floral, grass, and yeast/toasted earthiness. Mild pine, citrus peel/rind, herbal, floral, grassy, peppery bitterness on the finish. Lingering notes of honey, caramel, brown sugar, toffee, orange, red grapefruit, lemon, lime, peach, plum, fig, date, pear, apricot, golden raisin, red apple, white grape, nuts, toasted biscuit, brown bread/dough, licorice, molasses, citrus peel/rind, wood, peppercorn, pine, leather, tobacco, herbal, floral, grass, and yeast/toasted earthiness on the finish for a while. Fantastic complexity, robustness, and balance of citrus/earthy hops, fruity yeast, and dark/bready malt flavors; with an awesome malt/bitterness balance, and no cloying/astringent flavors after the finish. Lightly increasing dryness from lingering bitterness. Light-medium carbonation and fairly full body; with a very smooth/creamy/silky/creamy/grainy, and lightly slick/sticky/resinous/rindy mouthfeel that is great. mild increasing warmth of 9.2% after the finish. Overall this is a fantastic American Barleywine. All around fantastic complexity, robustness, and balance of citrus/earthy hops, fruity yeast, and dark/bready malt flavors; very smooth and dangerously easy to sip on for the big ABV, with the mildly bitter/drying finish; great soft feel for the ABV. Fantastic balance of Balanced citrus/earthy C hops hops, fruity yeast, and rich malts. Light residual sweetness with lingering resin dryness. A highly enjoyable offering, and outstanding spot on style example. Not overwhelming on oxidation after 7 years.