Good to see Hope getting their moneys worth from the seasonal label 😂 A red ale that I hope will scratch the Christmas beer itch. Pour was a little foamier than expected but settled to a body of such deep red that it actually looks brown, with a finger of off white foam that had good retention. The advertised toffee and caramel malts are present for the first half, although a little more subdued than I'd like. Dried fruits and roasted barley make up the second half. Mouthfeel is medium bodied, perfectly weighted and suited to the amount of foaminess and alcohol. Taste is dried fruits, currants, Raisins and cranberries. Some chocolate seeps in before the toffee returns. Roasted barley malt rolls in at the end and the slight warmth carries well. Not what I hoped it would be but an excellent red ale I must say.