Cask Deep amber-brown, small darkish head. Very perfumy, complex esters, wood, vinous nose. Sweet taste, with Swiss chocolate, vinous notes, grapes or other berry mash, plums, and in the background I’d say a whiff of balsamic vinegar. Full bodied, obvious alcoholwarming. One of my all-time favourites. A British cask ale to stand amongs the best Belgian strong ales.

Bottle, 275 ml, Old Stock Tasting III with Dum, Ian and Steve at Lubière’s, savoured on October 13th, 2006, in that one, we had the series from 1998 to 2005, vintage rated is 2005 though the 1998 was excellent; eye: cognac, light effervescence, no head, clear; nose: caramel, alcohol, bread, malt (grain), light hops; mouth: alcohol, caramelized malt, finale in caramel-alcohol, medium body, not much carbonation, mildly sweet, lightly bitter FRANÇAIS Bouteille, 275 ml, 11,5 %, dégustation de Vieux stock III avec Dum, Ian et Steve chez Lubière, savouré le 13 octobre 2006, lors de cette dégustation nous avions la série de 1998 à 2005, mes notes sont pour l’année 2005 par contre l’année 1998 était excellente; oeil : cognac, légère effervescence, pas de mousse, claire; nez : caramel, alcool, pain, malt (grain), léger houblon; ouche : alcool, malt caramélisé, finale en caramel-alcool, corps moyen, peu carbonatée, moyennement sucrée, légèrement amère

Bottle courtesy of Hogtownharry: Poured a light black color ale with a big foamy head with good retention and lacing. Aroma of black chocolate is very enticing with some nice English malt also noticeable. Taste of lightly sweet chocolate malt is very good and dominated the taste spectrum. Body was slightly watery with some medium carbonation. This was a very good beer but it is lacking a little something to be truly great.

Cask (handpump) @ Coal Hole, WC2 London. Amber / copper color with a small white head. Aroma is caramel, fruit, (figner ?). Flavor is moderate sweet and light biiter with a short duration.

Deep brown,huge beige head.Lightly alcoholic malt nose. Whiskeylike, brown sugar, molasses taste

Pours deep amber into a snifter. Tan head recedes with variable sheet lacing. Power juicy fruit aromas. Fizzy prunes. Lasting angustura finish. Almost painful. Orval is to trappist as Moonraker is to...?

2003 vintage consumed Aug. 25, ’06. Hazy orange copper color with bits of small sediment suspended in the brew. It had a light tan head that vanished to nothing before long. The aroma is rich malt, dates, plums and alcohol. Thick thick oily mouth feel. There is no lack of flavor here. Starts off very sweet and a slight kalamata olive taste. About midway the strong fruit component of dates, figs and plums mixes with a wood smokiness to create a kind of maple syrup flavor. It finishes in a mild way leaving a pleasing sweetness behind. Pretty good. The Lagavulin version I enjoyed more.

12/02/06 Walk the Line Barleywine Festival, Dunedin, FL. 1998 vintage. Poured a deep amber with no head. The aroma was on the light side with sweet caramel. The body was a bit thin. The flavor brought forth lots of caramel, dark fruit, maybe some toffee and molasses.

12/02/06 Walk the Line Barleywine Festival, Dunedin, FL. 1988 vintage. Poured a clear amber color with no head. The aroma had sweet licorice and deep rich dark caramel. The flavor was delicious sweet caramel, burnt caramel and toffee. This beer is really smooth and has stood the test of time very well. Wow, 18 years old and darn tasty.