The champagne of beers, in my opinion. Have had this from fresh to 18 months old, and am aging some further for future evaluation. Always pours amber with a wild rocky head. Intense floral, spice and yeast aromas. Super-dry. Long, long finish. The stuff of memories.

I had it 3 times, and every time I appreciated it better! Very thick head, collapsing but stable. Lovely orange colour. Nose is bitter with vegetables and spices/flowers notes. Taste starts immediately very bitter, and very "winey", something very original, with acidic notes too. Carbonation is moderate, very nice. Bitterness lingers. Amazing.

Bottle - 6 weeks old. Hazy orange/amber body with a thin white head. Steady carbonation. Good lacing. Aroma of red apple, lemon zest and marzipan. Flavour of grass, orange sherbet, sour cider and hop spice. Medium body with a frothy mouthfeel. Soft fizz. This is the freshest Orval I’ve had so far. If I’m honest, I expected to like this more. I suppose it shows the benefit of letting the beer age for a while in the bottle. 5 8 8 5 16 = 4.2 Bottle - 10 weeks old (consumed 31.10.21). Hazy deep golden body with a thin off-white head. Lively carbonation. Faint lacing. Aroma of rhubarb and pink lady apple. Flavour of apple vinegar and flat lemonade. Medium body with a smooth texture. Soft fizz. Unique and delicious. 5 8 9 5 17 = 4.3 Bottle - 4 months old (consumed 10.01.18 and 18.03.22). Hazy amber body with a thin off-white head that holds well. Lively carbonation. Faint lacing. Aroma of candy floss, green pepper, green apple and coriander. Flavour of rhubarb, salted lime, cucumber, cloudy cider, grass and lemon sherbet. Medium body with a frothy mouthfeel. Very fizzy. Just stunning - dry and complex. 5 9 10 5 19 = 4.8 Bottle - 5 months old. Hazy amber body with a medium off-white head that holds well. Steady carbonation. Good lacing. Aroma of salted lemon, rhubarb, green apple and coriander. Flavour of lime, basil, cider and lemon sherbet. Medium body with a frothy mouthfeel. Very fizzy. A beer unlike any other. 5 8 9 5 18 = 4.5 Bottle - 7 months old (consumed 16.11.17) Hazy amber body with a large off-white head that refuses to budge. Lively carbonation. Good lacing. Aroma of elderflower, lemon pith, candyfloss, sherbet and a hint a basil. Flavour of lemonade, tonic water, salted white bread and tangy green apple. Medium body with a frothy mouthfeel. Very fizzy. A funky, zingy, beautiful beer. Orval is my desert island beer. Every bottle tastes unique somehow, but is always consistent in terms of quality. 5 10 9 5 19 = 4.8 Bottle - 12 months old. Similar to the younger bottles, described above, but the flavour is more lemony and the finish is drier. The aroma also has notes of underripe melon. A truly stunning beer. Review of older bottles to follow... 5 10 9 5 18 = 4.7 Bottle - 14 months old. Clear amber body with a thin off-white head. Lively carbonation. Faint lacing. Aroma of white wine vinegar, marzipan and lemon. Flavour of cider, coriander and grass. Medium body with a frothy mouthfeel. Very fizzy. A stunning beer but, for me, it lacks the zing and vibrancy of younger bottles. 4 8 8 4 17 = 4.1 Bottle - 15 months old (consumed 23.05.18). Hazy amber body with a thick off-white head. Lively carbonation. Lacing that coats the full glass. Aroma of cider, candy floss and lemon. Flavour of candy, cider and cloudy lemonade. Medium body with a frothy mouthfeel. Very fizzy. Unique and wonderful. 5 10 10 5 19 = 4.9 Bottle - 23 months old. Hazy amber body with a medium off-white head. Lively carbonation. Faint lacing. Aroma of grass, herbs and lemon. Flavour of salted lime, white sugar and lemon sherbet. Medium body with a frothy texture. Light fizz. A smooth, subtle beer. It doesn’t have the sharpness of younger bottles but it’s well rounded and complex. This is the oldest Orval I’ve tasted. On this evidence, I’d like to try an even older bottle. 5 8 9 5 18 = 4.5 Bottle - 27 months old (consumed 12.07.18). Hazy amber body with a medium off-white head. Lively carbonation. Faint lacing. Aroma of white wine vinegar and rhubarb. Flavour of sour grain and lemon. Medium body with a frothy texture. Light fizz. The booze is quite evident. 5 8 7 5 15 = 4.0

Flaske fra Belgisk Bryg, hjemme i mitt Duvel-glass: lyden når korken fjernes bringen bud om spenstige saker, og skummet er tårnhøyt - godt at Duvel-glasset har solide kanter! Fra BB: " Fremstillet af tre forskellige malt-sorter og ti forskellige gær-stammer. Tæt flødeskumsagtig skum. En fyldig bitter smag (skyldes dry hopping). Lys kandis bidrager til den lyse farve og den karakteristiske smag." Tiltredes, på vegne av Holmen Nanobryggeris avskriftskomité, med notat om at dette er en en velhumlet og tørr, særpreget klassiker innen trappistøl.

excellent trappist ale with incredibly great head (though it disappears within a few minutes), sourish fragrance, great combination of bitterness and sweetness, not too violent alcoholic flavour. strongly recommended belgian ale re-rated on23_05_2014 (rating remained unchanged): hazy orange colour, some off-white head; aroma of yeast, vegetables, earthy notes and some fruitiness (mango and citruses) ;taste of yeast again with vegetables, some minimal bread and mango;dry mouthfeel; still one of the bests belgian ale