J.W. Lees Harvest Ale (Lagavulin Whisky Cask) - J.W. Lees & Co (Brewers) Ltd

MadScientist

New York

3.4/5  rDev -13.5%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

A 2008 that's been in my cellar for most of those year.

A: A light copper colored beer with a light haze. The thin head is off-white; it never goes away but dissipates to a thin ring of bubbles around the glass.

S: The aroma is peat smoke, whiskey and cherries over a rich malt background. There is a bit of a chew-able vitamin smell to malt sweetness and moderately-light fruitiness but not in a bad way. And a soft alcohol sweetness that is slightly floral.

T: There honey sweetness, lots of cloying honey sweetness of a pile of sugar. The alcohol and moderate whiskey is all that's left to check the malt sweetness but both fall well short. A light hops bitterness and no hops flavor. The moderately-light oak flavor is there but you kind of overlook it with the smokey whiskey note. The balance is very sweet and the finish is sweet.

M: Moderately full bodied with a pretty low level of carbonation.

O: The Harvest Ale always tends to be fairly sweet but this is a bit much. One of sweetest beers I've had and kind of hard to finish without someone to help. A cigar would be fine compliment to this beer though.

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2013 22:32:52 | More by MadScientist

mikeincharleston

South Carolina

3.25/5  rDev -17.3%

05-22-2013 01:17:24 | More by mikeincharleston

nick_asian

Nevada

3.75/5  rDev -4.6%

05-19-2013 07:13:41 | More by nick_asian

jakeox

Illinois

4/5  rDev +1.8%

05-18-2013 23:38:02 | More by jakeox

Slatetank

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +1.8%

05-13-2013 18:44:15 | More by Slatetank

breakingbland

Michigan

3.78/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Poured from a 9.3 fl. oz. bottle (marked "L2413 11:54") into a pint glass.

Appearance: Poured with no head and only a broken ring of foam. The color was a very cloudy gold.

Aroma: Very much bourbon-forward which evident even before bringing the glass to the nose. The bourbon aroma bordered on harsh. No malt or hops were easily evident.

Taste: Mostly smoky with a honey-like sweetness. There was a slight scotch flavor component. The hops bitterness was very slight.

Mouthfeel: This beer has a full body -- almost syrupy. There is a light, fine carbonation.

Overall: I knew nothing about this beer prior to this tasting, and the smoky, scotch flavors were a surprise -- but a good surprise. The smoke is quite dominant. I enjoyed this beer and think it would best stand alone rather than pairing with any food, although it would be interesting to try it with BBQed pork. I will look for it again.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2013 22:49:32 | More by breakingbland

Offa

California

4.09/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

This is a strong, but excellent barleywine, a bit sweet and potent to be anything other than a slow sipping beer, but with an interesting and complex character.

Hazy pale amber, it has no real head and only a thin ring.

Aroma is smoky peaty and raisiny grain, old dough, sour vinegary fruits.

Taste is very sweet, a bit spicy, smoky, with dry toast and bread finish, then a whiskyish bitter-spicy aftertaste. It's engaging.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2013 20:11:42 | More by Offa

mctizzz

New York

3.75/5  rDev -4.6%

05-06-2013 14:50:48 | More by mctizzz

zeff80

Missouri

3.5/5  rDev -10.9%

05-06-2013 01:13:43 | More by zeff80

Archemedies

Massachusetts

3.75/5  rDev -4.6%

05-05-2013 13:12:43 | More by Archemedies

brotherloco

California

3.5/5  rDev -10.9%

04-26-2013 04:51:09 | More by brotherloco

superspak

Michigan

3.95/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

275 ml bottle into tulip glass, 2005 vintage. Pours very hazy and cloudy reddish copper color with no head and some minimal lacing bubbles sticking to the side. Aromas of big caramel, raisin, prune, fig, toast, toffee, molasses, oak, whiskey, vanilla, peat, light smoke, and dark earthiness. Very nice aromas with good balance and complexity of malt notes with barrel character. Taste of big caramel, molasses, toffee, toast, raisin, fig, prune, vanilla, oak, whiskey, peat, light smoke, and dark earthiness. Lingering notes of caramel, molasses, toffee, toast, dark fruits, vanilla, oak, whiskey, light smoke, and earthiness on the finish for a while. Very nice balance and complexity of malt notes with dark fruits; with a fair amount of barrel character that isn’t overwhelming; and zero cloying sweetness after the finish. Minimal carbonation and full bodied; with a creamy, slick, and fairly syrupy mouthfeel that is nice. Alcohol is very well hidden with only a small warming noticed after the finish. Overall this is a very nice English barleywine. All around nice balance and complexity of malt and barrel flavors; and very smooth to sip on slowly. A very enjoyable offering.

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2013 03:42:36 | More by superspak

thewimperoo

Illinois

3.5/5  rDev -10.9%

04-21-2013 23:15:53 | More by thewimperoo

Pecan

California

4.25/5  rDev +8.1%

04-08-2013 22:59:43 | More by Pecan

coenbust

United Kingdom (England)

4.5/5  rDev +14.5%

04-04-2013 23:30:22 | More by coenbust

jahbulon

New York

4.75/5  rDev +20.9%

03-31-2013 13:45:12 | More by jahbulon

pmarlowe

California

3.75/5  rDev -4.6%

03-31-2013 01:10:27 | More by pmarlowe

mscudder

Georgia

2.75/5  rDev -30%

03-23-2013 05:31:20 | More by mscudder

Oboogie

Minnesota

4/5  rDev +1.8%

03-18-2013 23:37:58 | More by Oboogie

MarkyMOD

Colorado

4/5  rDev +1.8%

03-17-2013 06:05:12 | More by MarkyMOD

emceecue

New Jersey

4.5/5  rDev +14.5%

03-07-2013 03:55:45 | More by emceecue

impending

California

3.5/5  rDev -10.9%

03-05-2013 06:29:57 | More by impending

CaptainNomihodai

Illinois

4/5  rDev +1.8%

02-26-2013 07:14:46 | More by CaptainNomihodai

madnismo

Florida

4.75/5  rDev +20.9%

02-24-2013 02:49:55 | More by madnismo

matttttYCE

Arizona

3.03/5  rDev -22.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3

2010 bottle.

Light tan creamy head, not very high, light lacing and retention. Muddy dark amber color with noticeable sediment floaties. The aroma is very thick with charred wood, peat, sctoch, smoke, leather, a mixture of brown sugar, dark fruits, and malts - all burnt. Behind that are extremely rich/sweet notes, deep caramel and molasses, toffee, vinous/grape notes, and tobacco. The taste is much like the nose. Big peat, scotch, smoke, leather, toffee, heavily burnt brown sugar caramel and malts, vinous and dark fruit notes. Strong. Mouthfeel is super heavy. Consistency is viscous, carbonation is light, body is heavy, and the finish is lingering, almost sticky.

Overall, I'm not really digging this. It's strong but not necessarily offensive on the nose, and nearing harsh in the taste, and not just because of the alcohol content. Quite a different take on english barleywines for sure but just not for me.

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2013 02:41:16 | More by matttttYCE