2005 bottling on 5/26/06.
Still a very strong, frothy, bottle conditioned dark beige head creates copious lacing from the outset. The liquid is breathtaking when held to the light. Just a hint of haze (we were careful with the pour) creates a glowing, crimson body, with strong black cherry-skin tints and light auburn highlights on the edges. Single streams of tiny bubbles rise methodically.
Here’s a beer which I can’t stop looking at!
The nose is subtle, elegant, reserved, delicate. None of the heavy breadiness, vinousness or strong sherry and raisin dominance. No sir. This one is a smooth ride of light cherry esters, fabulously clean and tastefully done Belgian yeast and light dots of caramel sweetness lying in the shadows. I’m pretty sure that Solana Beach is not an old, musty, farmhouse brewery, but you couldnt tell based on this nose. Just a fabulously characterful yeast, with light plant-like notes, some dark herbs and spices and caramelized cherries. Must be the mix of the esters and the caramel notes from the malt, with the smoothness of the wheat creating a balanced cherry like note. This aroma has near infinite levels of depth. Some notes of the fermented candi sugar (light plastic and vanillin) with a very light roasty/toastiness that combines with the residual sugar as well, to produce a lightly "zesty" note (couldnt really describe it better than zesty, but it’s lightly cola-like). Medium-high to high in strength and damn if I couldnt sniff this all night. Not that I expected any less.
Sweet caramel and dry toffee notes embark on a journey throughout the palate. Like a large ball of sticky chocolate, it picks up all of the various notes along the way, weaving its flavors in to everything but essentially remaining medium-dry, sticky, lightly caramel-like and just bursting with flavorful, delicate Belgian yeast. Light phenols dry the finish, with some lightly bittersweet malt and tons of fruity esters (blackberries, black cherries). Hints of intriguing roast dot the path to the finish and cola and anise combine as well. Cherry chocolate lingers on, with chewiness, a bit of roast, nuttiness and light raisins. Complex, insanely so. The carbonation is tight, engaging and the body displays not even the least bit of fatigue.
At first I wanted to say it was a bit too sweet, but then, as much as I like dry, extremely attenuated beers, as I drink more, the sweetness bolsters the flavor complexity and allows for the intertwining of the different notes. It also seems quite necessary at this high an alcohol level. Not to mention, it’s not really "sweet", just a little bit sweeter than medium-dry.
As much as I appreciate the additional notes that the barrel imparts, a fantastic beer is a fantastic beer, barrel or no barrel. Perfection? What’s perfection? I do know that when I’m not in the mood for a gueuze, pils, Orval... that my first choice would be this.

Opaque gold body with a fast dissipating beige head. Aroma yeasty with a touch of cinnamon. Malty cinnamon taste with a nice sour aftertaste. Lots of good sludge in the bottle bottom.

Bottle courtesy DarkElf. Cloudy golden orange body, medium off-white head. Big oak aroma with tart brie cheese rind and musty cobwebs, tarter than the Cuvee de Tomme sampled previous to this one. Tart, sour body, the brie cheese rind/mustiness imparted by the yeast complimented by freshly cut wood and sawdust. I imagine this is what an open fermentation done in a wood shop classroom would taste like. A hint of pineapple was detected too. Another good sour beer.