Samuel Smith's The Famous Taddy Porter - Samuel Smith Old Brewery (Tadcaster)

jwc215

New Jersey

4.05/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pours black, slightly brownish along bottom. It has a thin, lasting off-white head.

The smell is of earthy toast and lightly roasted coffee.

The taste is of toast, lightly roasted coffee and subtle hints of chocolate. Sweet with a balancing earthy, almost floral, bitterness. Slightly acidic. Long, sweet semi-dry finish.

It's creamy and coating.

This is a classic English porter for sure. Makes for a nice "session".

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2007 18:49:38 | More by jwc215

tempest

Pennsylvania

4.38/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Has a bottle with my bison at Craft in Victory Park, Dallas. Served in a wide pilsner glass. Appears, in the lower light, pitch black with a tan head.

Man, what a beer. Rich chocolate with toffee and a bit of mocha java around the edges. The aroma is full of the same candy and cocoa flavors and the aftertaste has a hint of herbal hops to it. This is easily the best English porter, maybe just porter, I've had. Damn.

Serving type: bottle

09-09-2008 15:18:12 | More by tempest

WVbeergeek

Ohio

4.18/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: Deep ruby brown with an almost purple haze....ha ha purple haze, well anyway it also has a tan brown moccha color to the massive sized head leaving definite clear rings of lacing to it. Aroma: Slight fruity approach mixture of hops in there to balance out the semi smoked deep roasted malts that provide chocolate and some coffe tones very nice. Taste: Definitely an acquired bitterness with a pleasant array of rolling sharp sweet tones blended with the coffe and chocolae available along with a sharp ale yeast driven fruitiness. Mouthfeel: A tad thin haha... get it...but really it;s a bit light for my tases just doesn't deliver the texture and body I am searching for in a porter. Drinkability: Don't worry this is one of the most drinkable representations of any porter I have sipped upon sometimes the price may keep you from partaking but that's Merchant du Vin's fault not ol' Sam Smith's right?

Serving type: bottle

10-01-2003 23:30:25 | More by WVbeergeek

barleywinefiend

Washington

3.6/5  rDev -13.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured very, very dark brown, not much light passed though. It had a small tan head and smelled a little of perhaps coffee? chocolate? perhaps a mix of the two. Taste was malty, coffee and a bit chocolatey but not as good as I expected from Sam Smiths as their other beers are GREAT. This was onlt good at best. You want a real Porter..go for Rogues Mocha Porter

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2008 04:35:29 | More by barleywinefiend

smcolw

Massachusetts

4.05/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Dark ruby brown color. Impressive beige head with some lasting power--rocky remnants.

Caramel, cocoa smells. For some reason, it reminds me of a Christmas egg nog.

Strong cocoa and burnt toast flavors. Low hop that is present in the swallow and aftertaste. Thin body for the flavor/aroma profile, but accurate for the style. In short, this is a big porter in taste. Lots of mocha.

This may be one of my favorite porters. Lots of flavor in this beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2008 23:56:59 | More by smcolw

rhoadsrage

Illinois

4.1/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

(Served in an imperial pint glass)

A- This beer has a dark black opaque body with a thick cinnamon tan head that last and last. A nice carbonation of tiny bubbles sticks to the sides of the glass.

S- During the pour the smell of dark roasted malt and some earthy, coffee notes came through. There are some soft notes of fresh cigar tobacco and a hint of tar.

T- This beer has a nice dark roasted malt flavor with good complexity. Not as complex as the smell but very nice. Notes of lighter toasted malts are in the background with a light sourness that finishes the beer. There is some earthiness in the taste as it warms.

M- This beer has a medium mouthfeel with a slight slippery texture. It is a bit watery in the finish.

D- Very nice complexity with good flavors. The complexity of the malt really comes through in the smell and it would be nice to see all of the complexity make it to the taste.

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2006 22:12:01 | More by rhoadsrage

Wasatch

Utah

4/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a clean/clear dark brown color, nice carbonation, nice one finger plus tan creamy head which lasts a little while, nice small islands and sticky lacing afterwards. The nose is roasted malts, and toffee. The taste is very nice of malts/toffee. Medium body. Very drinkable, this brew really surprised me, very tasty. Will definitely add this one to my list.

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2007 00:17:02 | More by Wasatch

jlindros

Massachusetts

4.08/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Samuel Smith really shows what British beers can do, at least the ones imported to the U.S. They have some great beers, and here's the next one in the lineup for me.

A: A heavy pour yields a huge 3+ finger head that quickly settles in almost upsidedown waterfall, but not the same as a nitrous. A rich thick creamy head slowly subsides but very slowly, and leaves a lacing as it does. Super dark brown colored beer with just a hint of light coming through.

N: I could smell it quite a bit on the heavy pour. Lots of malts and sweet brown sugar. A heavy nose of roasted malts and dark malts. Added to that are some sweet brown sugar, and hints of molasses and a touch of nuttiness. A slight creamy lactose aroma and hint of chocolate milk. I even think I get a hint of cinnamon. A delicious nose with a really nice lightly sweet malty brown sugar.

T: Rich creamy malts to start. Some lactose with hints of chocolate malt give it a chocolate milk feel. More roasty flavors, with a touch of coffee, a little acidity and bitterness from the roast give it a slight harshness. It's semi sweet, but also a nice bitterness from both the roast and perhaps a touch of hops. Pretty smooth and creamy. A slight touch of nuttiness and cinnamon. Some sweet brown sugar and molasses, but not as much as the nose.

M: Creamy, smooth, and luscious with the medium body but seems a little watery for what I expected, and lower but good for the style carbonation.

F: Semi bitter on the finish with the roasty bitterness. Dries off a little, but it's not too sweet on the finish either. It's more creamy too, with lingering lactose finish. Some of the roasty coffee bean flavor also sticks around on the finish adding to the bitterness. I get a hint of raisin and brown sugar as well late on the finish. The bitterness seems to get a little overwhelming for what it should be at least, or perhaps I'm too in love with how luscious and creamy the oatmeal stout is.

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2010 17:30:14 | More by jlindros

jdhilt

New Hampshire

3.68/5  rDev -12%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours with a one-finger light tan head that fades slowly leaving a good lace. Black as coal. Medium carbonation and heavy bodied. Nose is roasted coffee. Starts and finishes with a roasted chocolate/coffee flavor with a slight lingering burnt coffee aftertaste. $2.32 for a 12 oz bottle from Northend Superette Manchester, NH. Really an excellent porter and can be a part of your regular inventory.

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2003 15:54:46 | More by jdhilt

Jason

Massachusetts

4.85/5  rDev +16%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Presentation: 12 oz clear bottle that has gold foil on top, no freshness date to be found.

Appearance: Deep dark ruby brown with a creamy cake like head that floats on top.

Smell: Hint of coffee and chocolate.

Taste: Creamy smooth mouth feel from a medium body with mid to low carbonation. Full rich palate of coffee, carob and a mild acidic twang from the roasted malts. Bit of butterscotch in the middle which lingers into the finish with an underlying fig like fruity flavour.

Notes: Textured and well structured ... a top shelf porter and worth the $$$. A classic porter worldwide, one of best in the Sam Smith brand.

Serving type: bottle

11-17-2001 02:17:56 | More by Jason

mdfb79

New York

3.53/5  rDev -15.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Finally picked this one up in NJ last weekend. Poured from a 550ml bottle into my Bruery tulip.

a - Pours a dark brown, almost black color, with two fingers of dark tan head and moderate carbonation evident.

s - Smells of raisins, figs, dark fruits, roasted malts, light chocolate, and something weird. Can't really place what it is, but reminds me of wet dog. Either way, something definitely a little off that downgrades the nose.

t - Tastes of roasted malts, sweet dark fruits, figs, pulms, and raisins, chocolate, light caramel, and a little bitter coffee. That weird smell doesn't come through in the taste which is a huge improvement from the nose.

m - Medium body and moderate carbonation, with a very smooth and creamy body. Very easy to drink; amazing mouthfeel.

o - Overall an above average porter with something a little weird in the nose. Taste is pretty good and very sweet and roasted, and the mouthfeel is great. Would give another shot but not my favorite porter.

Serving type: bottle

10-14-2011 02:12:49 | More by mdfb79

Billolick

New York

4.03/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Large clear bottle, no freshness dating noted. Pours a very dark shade of brown, minimal light getting thru, head is tan and quickly turns to a film. Moderate lacing left behind on the glass. Nice smokey nose, smooth bodied classic porter. Notes of burnt malt, minerals, slate, vanilla.More smoke and burnt raisins. Yummy and refreshing, fine stuff. Worth getting to know

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2005 23:13:48 | More by Billolick

Zorro

California

4.53/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Pours a clear black brew with the standard ruby color when held up to a strong light.

Smell is sweet and very fruity, VERY similar to Samuel Smith's Oatmeal Stout. Lots of cherry, plum and black licorice scent.

The flavor is mildly sweet and fruity, with chocolate and coffee. Taste is well rounded for a Porter; this one isn't a dark beer syrup like some others. It also isn't a harsh beer with a burned flavor.

Exceedingly drinkable brew, tasty with no harshness, and a moderate alcohol content.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2004 02:28:41 | More by Zorro

Viggo

Ontario (Canada)

3.8/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

500 ml bottle, thanks to grub for sharing.

Pours a pretty clear dark orange/brown, nice colour, thick tan head forms and slowly settles down to a thick ring around the glass and a thin layer, lots of lace chunks stick to the glass, looks nice.

Smell is neat, sweet and roasty, a bit of chocolate milk, caramel, light coffee, some fruitiness, treacle, some raisin, a touch of biscuit and some light wafer, a bit of apple.

Taste is interesting, pretty roasty, some raisin, caramel, a bit of corn syrup, wafer, chocolate and a bit of coffee roast, lightly fruity, some berry, a bit of roasty bitterness in the finish, some apple and licorice..

Mouthfeel is light to medium bodied with medium carbonation. Goes down a bit harsh, but alright. Thanks Russ!

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2011 02:02:20 | More by Viggo

BlackHaddock

United Kingdom (England)

4.45/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

The usual 500ml brown bottle, this one was poured into a half pint glass (I asked for a half pint glass) in the lovely ‘Citte of Yorke’, a Sam Smith’s historic pub in Holborn, London. I think this is their most expensive beer, still cheap though when compared to the prices in non-Sam Smith’s London pubs for a similar drink.

Black bodied beer and poured how I did into a half pint glass (three times), it produces a huge tan coloured head that lasts and lasts.

Imagine your nose is surrounded by a peat bog smothered in dark chocolate, hazel nuts and mashed toffee apples and you’ve got the smell.

Now imagine adding some caramel and taking away some of the sweeter elements from the aromas and you’ve got the taste.

Smooth, almost creamy in texture, this slides down the throat far to easily, luckily it leaves a rich film of the aforementioned flavours on your teeth. This leads you into thinking it has a slightly bitter aftertaste, but you can’t tell because you’ve already taken another great swig of the beer; and so it goes on until you are spent and there is no more. A great beer and so, so easy to drink.

Serving type: bottle

10-31-2011 16:35:56 | More by BlackHaddock

Bighuge

Minnesota

2.73/5  rDev -34.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

The pour creates a deep dark brown color. A minimal head of beige is erected. Staying power is not good. Slight aroma of cocoa and java and european malts. The flavor is not really on. It's not horrible, but it's just a little bland and perhaps a little light struck. Bland maltiness dominates and is accentuated by a slight sourness and some light roasted tones. This is just not a good porter.

Serving type: bottle

02-14-2004 18:06:04 | More by Bighuge

Beerandraiderfan

Nevada

2.13/5  rDev -49%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

Looks like a sturdy porter, all is well. Aroma comes across like oil and alcohol.

Taste is oil, alcohol, brown ale and water. No hop quality. Like a mead from England. Mouthfeel is like a walnut mixed in with the aforementioned taste. Drinkability is lame, as its about $5 per 500 ml, and its just not enjoyable. Not my thing.

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2010 23:06:45 | More by Beerandraiderfan

corby112

Pennsylvania

3.58/5  rDev -14.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Serving type: bottle.

Pours a very dark brown color with ruby edges and a two finger foamy tan head. Aroma of oatmeal, roasted malts and hops. Lots of oatmeal and roasted malt up front, followed by chocolate, toffee and nut. Dry slightly bitter finish.

Serving type: bottle

11-28-2008 06:52:49 | More by corby112

lacqueredmouse

Australia

4.5/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a lovely burnished brown-black, with hints of ruby through the body. Head is a great crust of oatmeal-coloured bubbles, which leaves some wonderful curtains of lacing down the glass. Looks really lovely.

Sweet, dark and rich, like a chocolate mud cake. But to save it from being sickly, it has a very pleasant light smoke, anise and a baked bread character, which makes the palate seem more mature, more subtle, and more well rounded. Extremely good.

Creamy on the palate, again with a truly lovely semi-sweet chocolate and grain flavour, which melds with hints of vanilla and currants, before being cleansed with a very pleasant dry dusty character, absolutely lovely. Mouthfeel is full around the edges, as though framing the sweet, mellow and thoroughly enjoyable flavours.

An absolutely delightful beer. Almost without question the best porter I've ever sampled. It now sets the bar for all others, although I'd be more than happy to just drink this one from now on.

Serving type: bottle

09-11-2009 12:14:50 | More by lacqueredmouse

DoubleJ

California

4.4/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

There's something mysterious about these Sam Smith's bottles. Is it the design of the bottle? The label? It's actually the size (which could qualify as the former as well), giving you a few extra sips versus the standard 500 ml bottles. Time to give it a ride:

I'm already liking this as I pour it into a pint glass. As black as a stout with an attractive whipped head. Mocha and chocolate in the aroma, quite sweet. A little roasted character too. Okay now, first sip...mmm. Delightful. Not too heavy and not too light. Flavors are soft, some roasted flavor and baking chocolate, a little smokiness on the side. It's somewhat sweet too. Very pleasant indeed.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2008 05:45:55 | More by DoubleJ

glid02

Georgia

4.38/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Got this at Green's in Atlanta.

Pours an opaque black that's ruby around the edges. The head is a big and frothy three-fingers of tan foam that dissipates into a medium-sized layer of bubbles on top and a thick ring around the glass. Lacing sticks around for a bit.

Smells good. A big hit of dark fruit that mellows out and lets the bready malt aroma take over as the beer warms.

Tastes great. Slight dark fruit and big bready malt flavors up front at first, then as it warms chocolate and butterscotch make an appearance as the fruitiness recedes. There's a slight bitterness at the end to go along with the dry finish.

Mouthfeel is great. It's very smooth, almost like from a nitro-tap. The carbonation is very grainy and it's got a good thickness.

Drinkability is great. This is a very nice session beer. There's not much else I can say that I haven't said already.

Overall this is definitely worth a shot.

Serving type: bottle

09-20-2008 03:24:15 | More by glid02

wl0307

United Kingdom (England)

4.6/5  rDev +10%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

BB July 09, served cool in a straight imperial pint glass.

A: nearly black in colour, showing some dark mahogany glows when placed against light; the huge rocky khaki foam retains the thickness well, settling only reluctantly to a 0.5cm blanket throughout the drink.
S: compared with my previous notes, the aroma this time is predominantly fruity, featuring lots of jammy dark fruits, black date flesh, black prunes, raisins, burned nuttiness, treacle, even thick soy sauce, a tinge of moulded cheese, and a assertive sour edge more like an old ale could give... as the heavier fruity tinge softens, a rich oat-biscuity aroma sneaks through... overall the aroma is just phenomenal and beautifully complex for an English Porter! For a bottled Porter, now I really don't know which one is my favourite, Fuller's London Porter or this...
T: cobweb? (... don't know why this springs to mind, maybe it's the mould and stuff...) then roasted nuts, the bitter edge of treacle, a touch of moulded cheese, soothingly-textured roasted malts, bitter dark chocolates and bitter licorice roots roam freely on the palate alongside very mixed dark fruitiness... the flavour is so well-integrated and somewhat clean(!) that I can't tell where the roast-maltiness ends and the fruitiness starts. The lingering moderate-level bitterness of hops, burned nuts and black malt together lend a superb length in the slightly dry aftertaste.
M&D: utterly smooth, even rounded, greatly helped by microscopic fizziness that sustains throughout the drink. If I am to choose one bottled-version English Porter as a session beer that gives me all the flavour with a healthy balance, pleasure of quaffing, yet also from time to time a little something that I would pause to have a good sniff of... this is the one.

Tasting Date: 31/08/05
BB date: Jan. 06.
4 A: in a goblet it pours a deeply dark brown to nearly black colour; the tan head quickly settles to a thin layer with good retention.
4.5 S: deeply chocolatey, roasted nutty and toffeeish with a very good depth, supported by an intense, aromatic dark-fruit aroma and a tinge of leather, licorice, even blue-cheese(!), and some lively coffeeish note. Overall, the nose is settled, complex yet also aromatic~~
4.5 T: a roasted-barley and dark malty flavour prevails upfront--very smooth palate, with nuttiness, dark chocolate's rich flavour at the back along with a hint of savoury flavour and very mild hoppyness. In the aftertaste the profound nutty flavour lingers only too well, but is balanced with a medium-bitterness and leads to a slightly dryish finish.
4.5 M&4.5 D: the mouthfeel is consistently smooth, even rounded, but has a refreshing texture, thanks to the tiny yet invisible bubbles in the black nectar; medium-bodied, with full flavour yet staying low-profile, this is a balanced porter with some excellent yet subtle characteristics. It takes time to explore this beer fully. Excellent beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-30-2008 20:16:38 | More by wl0307

Gusler

Arizona

4.63/5  rDev +10.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

The color is the deepest ruby you can get before it becomes opaque, the head is Herculean in size with a spumescent texture, the color a beauteous light tan and after decomposition a thick and chunky sheet of lace clings mightily to the glass. The aroma of lightly toasted grains and sweet malt dominate the nose, crisp and fresh with a malt laden and sweet start, the top is moderate in its feel to the palate, Crisply acidic, the hops personable in their spiciness, with the aftertaste quite dry and a bit tart, one of my all time favorites, and one I consume with much gusto on a regular basis.

Serving type: bottle

10-08-2003 23:39:19 | More by Gusler

woodychandler

Pennsylvania

4.05/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I am continuing to drink my way through the Samuel Smith's oeuvre, thanks to a recent inspiration in one of the forums. Just in case anyone wondered what I was doing ...

From the bottle: "A very dark, full bodied ale with a rich, creamy head and an intense dry, tangy character. Brewed with well water (the original well sunk in 1758 is still in use), malted barley, roasted malt, yeast and hops. Fermented in 'stone Yorkshire squares'. The type of beer first brewed in the early 18th century; gained its name from being drunk by porters in the fish, meat and other produce markets."; Captioning a picture: "Adding whole dried hops to the wort in the boiling copper."

My pour created just better than a finger of light-brown head with decent retention. Color was a deep, dark brown with ruby/garnet/mahogany highlights. Nose was chocolaty with a slight underlying tang. Mouthfeel was medium and it had a smoky chocolatiness to it on the tongue. Finish was quite smoky, charcoal-like in its intensity, very dry. Wow! This is probably the exemplary beer for its style, but I had forgotten its intensity as compared to a lot of the American versions. I would definitely drink it again, but not on a hot summer's day after weeding the backyard.

Serving type: bottle

06-23-2011 16:28:19 | More by woodychandler

beerthulhu

New Jersey

4.43/5  rDev +6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: dark opaque chocolate color with a creamy light tan head.

S: big, rich chocolate nose, some roasted aroma and smokiness topped off with fresh coffee and a light dried fruitiness.

T: For flavor there was rich cocoa beans, dark rich chocolate and some dried cherries. Overall a porter that was rich, robust, and perfect per style, enjoyable to drink as well ease.

M: The mouthful was very smooth for a porter with a nice roastedness and coffee flavor coming through upon warming with some milkiness.

D: Well rounded balanced with full flavors makes this a stand out and a joy to consume.

Serving type: bottle

03-01-2008 17:45:12 | More by beerthulhu