Xyauyù Etichetta Oro (Gold)
Birra Baladin

Xyauyù Etichetta Oro (Gold)Xyauyù Etichetta Oro (Gold)
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From:
Birra Baladin
 
Italy
Style:
English Barleywine
Ranked #40
ABV:
13.5%
Score:
96
Ranked #1,173
Avg:
4.35 | pDev: 10.11%
Reviews:
35
Ratings:
94
Status:
Active
Rated:
Nov 18, 2022
Added:
Jun 06, 2010
Wants:
  63
Gots:
  18
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
 
Rated: 4.35 by emerge077 from Illinois

Nov 18, 2022
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Reviewed by Bouleboubier from New Jersey

4.59/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
(2013 bottle, purchased by my brother I think at State Line at least 2-3 years ago; it's been opened and corked since then, maybe sampled a half dozen times... he just passed it off to me yesterday and I mildly chilled it and poured some into a teku... I have previously tasted from this bottle at least twice)

L: clear, chestnut-colored liquid with some limited speckled sediment; no foam, no collar, looking still... looks like unfiltered wine

S: brown ripe fig all day, Oloroso (or PX) sherry, fruit leather, touch of tobacco, faint accent of floral ethanol... gripping intensity, vibrant expressions, anticipatory depth and dimension... I want to smell like this

T: malty as all hell, layer upon layer of rich madness, highlighted by the fig and sherry notes, finishing with hints of cellar dank, earthen mold, and greased leather... mildly spicy alcohol fuego a few beats into the aftertaste... a thread of herbal bitterness gradually builds, accented by the spirits

F: sultry nectar, spiked with a pointed flame of booze, likely rounding out its body, certainly eliciting a numbing sting upon the sea of taste buds... oily coating soiling my palate and it's divine... the sharpness of the alcohol definitely gives near proper contrast to the syrupy malt concentrate

O: aside from this bottle, I have had this on two other occasions... first, when I worked at a speakeasy beer bar in Center City circa 2012, then later at the beer bar Bir & Fud in the Trastevere in Sep 2015... I absolutely relish this shit and shame on me for not already having had at least on bottle on hand... I do know a couple spots where I can still pick this up, but I'll enjoy the remainder of this one first (2006)
Aug 17, 2022
Photo of GuyFawkes
Reviewed by GuyFawkes from Illinois

4.41/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
2016 vintage; drank 8/30/21 @ the Yarchives.

Murky orange/red rust appearance.

An even pour yielded no head; no lace, either.

Caramel, fig, merlot & cognac notes in the nose.

Flat, thick, sticky mouthfeel.

Caramel, dark chocolate & fig flavors up front; cognac notes on the finish.

Had this at room temperature as recommended; it's certainly a damn fine after dinner sipper. I'd have another!
Aug 31, 2021
 
Rated: 4.46 by Casey_L from Texas

Aug 03, 2021
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Reviewed by DIM from Pennsylvania

4.97/5  rDev +14.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
Brewed in 2014. Pours dead flat, no bubbles.

Oh my, this is heaven. Aromas of honey, graham crackers, marshmallow, Belgian chocolate, vanilla, brown liquor, and faint, vinous fruit blanketed by enticingly gentle warmth. On the tongue this is quite sweet, but the layers of complexity keep this from even approaching cloying levels of sweetness. Everything from the aroma is here, in rapturous, sublime harmony. This is perfect, just perfect.
Mar 29, 2021
 
Rated: 4.64 by Duncian from Pennsylvania

Mar 18, 2021
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Reviewed by Sigmund from Norway

3.92/5  rDev -9.9%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Shared 500 ml corked bottle, as Baladin Xyauyu Birra Da Divano Riserva Teo Musso 2008, imported to Germany by BraufactuM. Bought at Citti-Markt Flensburg. Orginal bottle No. 263926. German bottle No. 316. ABV is 14.5%. Clear reddish brown colour. No head nor carbonation. Strong vinous aroma, notes of old sherry / madeira, oak and dark dried fruits. Strong sweet flavour, in a blind test I might mistake it for an old sweet sherry or madeira. Notes of dark dried fruits again. A real treat if you want to satisfy your sweet tooth.
Jan 08, 2021
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Rated by bigred89 from Maryland

4.69/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.75
2011 edition. No carbonation left but lovely depth.
Mar 19, 2020
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Reviewed by Buck89 from Tennessee

3.91/5  rDev -10.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
2014 version poured into a snifter. The beer was copper in the glass with a faint tan head the left quickly. Aroma featured cherries, red wine, caramel, toffee, and butterscotch. Taste followed. Quite sweet and almost syrupy. Butterscotch and cherry. Not overly boozy. More like a Tawny Port than anything else.
Jul 28, 2019
 
Rated: 4.25 by Griffith from Connecticut

Jun 28, 2019
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Reviewed by DJ-Hophead from England

4.48/5  rDev +3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
2014 version, Baladin bar, Bologna - Pours red wine in colour with no discernible head, sticky residue to Teku when swirled. Aroma - Woody notes, dark stoned fruits, vinous notes, dark berries. Taste - Sweet not cloying, dark berries, sherry/port feel, light really smooth alcoholic warmth at the end. Whether this is a beer cannot say, still a fantastic easy sipping, very complex brew. Absolute belter for a dessert after a lovely long lasting dinner.
Aug 27, 2018
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Reviewed by Bruno74200 from France

4.68/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
2014 vintage

From a bottle in Baladin bar in a nice market over in Bologna.

Is this beer or a nice brandy which was put in my glass ?

It's amazing how this beer is complex but so much balanced it seems simple.

Chocolate, toffee, baked apples, flat, very complex, not too sweet.

Very nice
Aug 09, 2018
 
Rated: 4.79 by Ristaccia from Nebraska

Jun 11, 2018
 
Rated: 4.5 by paulish from New York

May 21, 2018
 
Rated: 4.75 by jwat from Pennsylvania

Sep 18, 2017
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Reviewed by Gajo74 from New York

4.21/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
My second tasting at Bir & Fud. This time I went for a small 10cl sampling, from the bottle, of Xyauyu 2013.
It poured an opaque and very dark amber, perhaps copper color with hints of ruby red. Oddly enough there was no head.
Putting it up to my nose I could tell it was going to be both strong and sweet. Creamy, toffee, caramel and butterscotch impart their sweetness. Prunes, grape and raisin add fruitiness. There was lots of alcohol in the nose, yet, not in a boozy way, more in a vinous, port wine or sherry like way. Amidst the alcohol I even detected the subtle roastiness of coffee beans.
When I ordered this, the bartender warned me that "it's very strong, more like a grappa or dessert digestif". I assured him I had experience with high ABV...I know barley wines...blah blah blah". Yet, despite his warning I was still surprised at the first tasting that I thought to myself "Is this beer?" It felt more like a sweet liqueur, sherry or port wine. For one, it had absolutely zero/zilch/nulla carbonation! "Is this beer?" I though again. I did taste raisins, prunes, cherries and lots of alcohol but with no warming. Certainly I've tasted these qualities before in beer, but I'm really looking for a tell tale sign. Lo and behold I think I detect a tinge of bitterness in the finish. Is that hops? I hold up the glass to my nose and even smell biscuit malt in the aroma. For sure there must be a malt presence especially because I think I detect a caramel malt sweetness. However, for the most part the alcohol and fruity esters mask the malt profile.
Overall, this is a full bodied brew, lush and decadent. Sweet but somehow not cloying. Highly alcoholic but somewhat not boozy. It is certainly a sipper and just about right for the small doze I was given. Is it beer? I suppose I should say "who cares?" and rate it well because it is after all, under the right circumstances, pretty tasty and full of complexity.
Aug 02, 2017
 
Rated: 4.28 by shelby415 from Oregon

Jun 24, 2017
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Reviewed by DoubleSimcoe from Pennsylvania

4.8/5  rDev +10.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 5
2009 vintage enjoyed in February 2017. Unbelievably beautiful dessert beer. Similar to Sam Adams Triple Bock.

Flat, sweet, raisiny, nutty... notes of chocolate, port wine, Madeira, sherry.

Super complex and delicious and incredible!
Feb 24, 2017
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Rated by DucksFan16 from Tennessee

4.04/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
2006 vintage.

02/03/2017
Feb 04, 2017
 
Rated: 4.18 by mattreitz49 from Florida

Feb 03, 2017
Xyauyù Etichetta Oro (Gold) from Birra Baladin
Beer rating: 96 out of 100 with 94 ratings