Kahvia, erilaisa suklaan versioita, appelsiinin kuorta, kirsikkaa ja loppuun tamminen, rutikuiva tanniinipläjäys

Today is the winter solstice, the shortest (darkest?) day of the year in terms of daylight. Today was also my last workday this year. A well-deserved (?) break for the Christmas and New Year ahead. Now Advent Calendar 2023, Day 22. The beer is turbid, dark chestnut brown. You see! My advent calendar is not only black black black. The carbonation is decent, a bit restrained but not tame though. A fluffy creamy head swells one finger thick and descends gradually to a relatively dense lace ring. A frazil-icy haze wafts additionally on the top. The nose picks date, raisin, cacao nibs and milk chocolate. The more subdued aromas include Bourbon and syrup. Maybe faint vanilla lingers in the back, as well. The taste offers sweeter flavors than I anticipate: date, milk chocolate, raisin, cacao nibs, vanilla and a generous drop of cream. A nice medley. Bourbon is fruity and velvety as well as marginal as for the intensity. Distant toffee and butterscotch can be added to the list. Very nice. The body is light-medium. Wtf? Hey, this is 11 %, the body should definitely be more robust. Fails the expectations in this respect. Brown as the aftertaste sitting in the flask; praying that my kids don't find my secret stash; matches on the hotel floor covered in glass; speakin’ of glass got me sipping on the highball. The mouthfeel is light-medium at maximum. Too light. The mouthfeel is also slightly sappy, sticky, moderately barrel aged, desserty and slow. Intriguing flavorwise, wanting bodywise. Still better than yesterday's sample.

Nez : Plaisant et assez complexe. Un caractère caramel, avec des notes de noix, de bois, de bourbon, de vanille, un côté poivré et réglissé. Une note aigrelette assez fine derrière. Cerise et raisin sec. Du pain et de l'orange amère lorsqu'on l'agite - même si le fût s'exprime bien. Bouche : Texture liquoreuse pour des goûts marqués ! Chocolat, beaucoup de bois, bourbon, vanille, caramel venant du fût... Derrière on a encore cette cerise, de la prune, de la pomme rouge même. Du sucre brun. Les 11 degrés sont bien gérés pour moi, mais les saveurs sont puissantes ! Final très sec et plus amer, boisé, orange amère, reste de caramel, noix de pécan... C'est vrai que l'amertume couplé à ce reste bien liquoreux sur la langue rappelle un peu la Suze... Mais c'est surtout caramel et reste du fût de bourbon. En même temps pleine et subtile. Pour palais avertis. Pas ma préférée mais bon produit ! 🍻

Bourbonia ja vaniljaa mukavasti maussa. Hieman kirsikkaa ja appelsiinia löytyy myös. Makeahko, välillä suklaakin maistuu valitettavasti. Hyvä olut kaikkinensa.

Tasteri kaverilta. Hyvin madeiraviinimäinen. Rusinaa, makeaa karamellia ja appelsiininkuorta. Bourbon on reippaasti esillä. Erikoinen.

An Old Fashioned Highball cocktail. Well, let's see. Starts with a relatively small head and it dissipates down. Swirl the glass and it comes back. Aroma is deep Bourbon Barrel and not much else. Has a light cola color, very translucent. Texture is soft and incredibly smooth and even. The Bourbon-Barrel flavor starts this experience as it travels into the nasal cavity. Blend in dark fruit and a heavy amount of sweetness from caramel. The finish exposes a gentle orange peel and cherry. Now that the beer is gone, I would most describe it as "classy". The smooth texture throughout, the balance of flavors that never try to dominate, the 11% alcohol that never shows itself, gives this beer a level of sophistication reminiscent of a fine cognac to be savored. I see that no one agrees with my rating but this beer was brewed with a purpose. I think it achieved it.

Wouah ça agresse le nez ! Elle a meilleur goût que ce qu'elle ne sent, on sent bien le bourbon A tester mais qu'une fois 😅