330mL bottle, pours jet black with a small brown head. Nose is full of whiskey barrels, medium roasted malt, and a touch of booze. Flavour reveals the whiskey upfront, with medium roasted malt, plenty of whiskey, some iodine, and some booze. Lots of pungent, almost plasticy whiskey. Odd–not great.

Dark brown. Thin head. The aroma is a bit rough, some fruity notes, a touch headsy. On the palate, it's got a somewhat barrely, headsy note. That sort of phenol from the hockey locker room, with some cleaner. It gets worse as it warms.

Poured from 330mL bottle (pkg July 2023; bb July 2028). Near black with small tan head. Plastic-y fruity chocolate aroma, a bit off, not a fan.

From a 440ml can on 2/5/2025. Pours a clear very deep amber with pretty much no head. The nose is dominated by whisky with some caramel and dark and dried fruit. Tastes of prunes, dates and plums, with some light caramel and toffee. There's maybe a touch of golden syrup but it's not super prominent. The finish is quite boozy and just a touch sour. The palate is a touch thin for something so big and the carbonation is average. I love a barley wine and this is drinkable enough but just doesn't stand out like a beer that's upwards of $30 should.

From a 330ml bottle on 19/4/2025. Pours near black with a small to medium dark bubbly tan head. The nose is actually quite fruity, with cherry quite prominent, with some vinous dark grape notes. Tastes very fruity as well, with more cherry and dark grape, date and raisin. The whisky notes are prominent throughout, with the finish quite boozy, long and decently bitter, with a hint of sour. The palate is slick and oily, and the carbonation a bit too lively. A solid big barrel aged sipper spoiled a touch by the over-carbonation. --- Beer merged from original tick of Fontaine Midnight Star on 26 Jun 2024 at 23:35 - Score: Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7.5. Original review text: From a 330ml bottle on 26/6/2024 (shared with Des). Pours a deepest brown with a medium head. The nose features quite a bit of whisky with dark chocolate and fermented dark fruit. The flavour follows suit - more dark chocolate and drak and dried fruit, with a decently bitter and boozy finish, featuring big whisky and light roasty notes. The palate is slick, the carbonation moderate. The solid big winter sipper.

From a 440ml can on 22/3/2025. Pours a slightly hazy with the barest of heads. Has a sharp, pungent peach nose with some yeasty esters. Tastes sharp and tangy with peach and apricot, which is met with a distinct, spicy and lingering bitterness with some citrus rind presenting. Silky mouthfeel with lively carbonation. A little odd, interesting and rewarding at the same time.