Traquair House Ale - Traquair House Brewery Lld

rustymoore

Tennessee

4.83/5  rDev +15.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

This is simply one of the finest ales I have tasted. Pours a murky brown almost black with minimal head and very little lacing. Smells of dry fruits such as fig, raisens and dates. Also strong caramel notes. Has a very pleasently sweet taste but not too sweet as the alcohol taste is just right. Very notable caramel and fruit notes. All around just an excellent brew.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2006 03:59:29 | More by rustymoore

nycwinter

California

4.83/5  rDev +15.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Poured into a chalice.

A= Ruby-reddish-brown with a quickly dissapating light tan head.

S= Sweet raisins, lightly smokey, and a bit floral.

T= Extraordinary. Fruity sweet and a bit tart. A bit of a smokey caramel too. Has a light bitterness that comes on strong at the end.

M= Lighter than what I expected. Possibly because the carbonation is the perfect amount to even out the weight of the body.

D= A little pricey to drink one after the other, but very very pleasant and smooth. I sipped it at first to make it last, and continued sipping it to savor the smells and the flavors.

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2009 04:36:47 | More by nycwinter

JBushEsq

Pennsylvania

4.83/5  rDev +15.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Perhaps one of the easiest beers I have ever had to drink - just an incredibly pleasant beer.

A: A nice dark red/brown that fades to tan at the edges.

S: Really subdued actually - the beer looks like it should really overpower, yet it doesn't. It has a nice malty sweetness.

T: Once again, it looks like it should be a real monster - yet the taste is just perfectly balanced - malty and a little sweet, with a bit of bitterness to it - yet none of this hits you over the head. Its not watery by any means, I could easily drink this all day in lieu of.

M: Not much carbonation to it, nor does it really need it

D: I could drink this all day - just perfectly balanced, not too strong, yet it has a ton of flavor.

Serving type: bottle

11-12-2009 02:23:28 | More by JBushEsq

kcstevens

New York

4.83/5  rDev +15.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Appearance: Hardly no head, semi-hard pour in to a challice. Very dark, coca-cola coloring, very little lace.
Nose: peaty, earthy, some fruity notes.
Taste: malty, peaty, and again, some fruity notes
Mouth feel: light on the carbonation, dry, tasty.
Overall: Love this beer, wished I could afford it more often. I sat and drank this, sipped this while sipping on Belvenie Scotch on the rocks, and watching NHL hockey playoffs. Doesn't get better than that.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2010 19:44:20 | More by kcstevens

mjohn27603

Michigan

4.8/5  rDev +14.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Reddish brown in color with a 1/8 " white head. Very complex and rich flavor. I detect roasted flavors with caramel and butterscotch. Sweet with a bit of bitterness. I taste some oak and sherry flavors too, the alcohol has a warming effect. Beer for sipping. You could spend a lot of time thinking of the flavors present. The bottom of the glass comes too soon to fully appreciate everything going on here.

Serving type: bottle

10-29-2002 18:10:30 | More by mjohn27603

Jason

Massachusetts

4.78/5  rDev +14.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Truly a pleasing brew ... sip and savour this delicate ale. Rich and complex with a perfect balance to make it that much more drinkable. One of the best ales that we have reviewed to date. This is more than just an ale ... it is an experience.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2001 23:38:21 | More by Jason

Realale

Missouri

4.78/5  rDev +14.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Gorgeous mahogany-tinged deep brown. Lovely extremely fine beige cap leaves nice lacing.

Incredible nose of rich cakey treacley malt. Soaring whisky-like notes and some dried fruits cherry, prune, raisins, and a touch of citrus. Simply stunning.

Lighter in the mouth than the nose would lead one to expect, but still rich doughy malt aplenty. Lots of dark treacle notes as well. Touch of ruminess, but no alcohol apparent. Finish is long and malty and the only place hops are really evident, and then only as a balance to the malt.

Very soft bottle-conditioned mouthfeel. Carbonation level is enough to keep it from being cloying, and actually manages to make it almost refreshing. A classic for good reason. Incredibly drinkable for what it is. Great stuff. Glad to have this old favorite for my 200th review.

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2004 19:52:28 | More by Realale

templar316

Pennsylvania

4.78/5  rDev +14.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A beutiful deep russett with a nice thick tan head, shows ruby highlights when held to the light and head keeps working throughout. A fantastic nose starting with alcohol, but softening to a great earthy nose. Woody with hints of figs and caramel. The flavor is the same way; soft malty sweetness, rolling into hop bitterness with slight alcohol afterbite. It rolls softly across the tongue leaving one ready for more. This is the Stuff!

Serving type: bottle

10-11-2008 02:51:16 | More by templar316

Slatetank

Pennsylvania

4.78/5  rDev +14.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

I purchased this at Wegman's in Mechanicsburg. Poured chilled into a tulip from the chilled 11.2oz bottle.

A - A translucent deep walnut shade w/ garnet hue at the base as light passes through. 2 fingers of rocky ecru top the ale and lace collects on the glass.

S - Tons of toffee w/ nutty and fruity malt odors dominating. A gentle vanilla and mild peat touch of aromatic bark, light fragrance of yeast w/ gentle spice notes. The scent of toasted caramel is there mild butterscotch odors

M - A mild sweet feel w/ moderately high carbonation and subtle spiced toasted texture. A mellow alcohol element is evident in the finish

T - A great flavor of malt w/ woody and cocoa notes w/ mild butterscotch, vanilla bean tinges. The malt flavor is smooth w/ a hint of coffee and sweet caramel. The toffee-like flavor is accented by a mild pine and cinnamon element. The taste has cocoa notes and is balanced by the flavor of alcohol which makes the sweetness less than cloying.

D - This has to be the most drinkable Scotch ale IMO, a beer that is smooth for its strength and calls for repeated tastes, would pair well with many desserts like creme brulee for example

Serving type: bottle

10-18-2009 22:26:44 | More by Slatetank

dsoft

Illinois

4.78/5  rDev +14.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Shockingly found this at a local liqour store 5 min. from my house. wonderful caramel flavor along with deft sweetness. can tell alcohol is present, but balances the before mentioned flavors excellently. On my way back to the store for a few more....delicious!!

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2009 04:56:43 | More by dsoft

Sachsenfreude

Germany

4.78/5  rDev +14.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

appearance; clear yet murky brown. Light tan head with moderate retention and nice lacing.

smell; molasses and rum soaked, dried dates. Some bready malts and oak tannins...prunes, raisins, figs and sweet alcohol.

taste; woody with a clean, warm bitterness, this makes up the main backbone of flavor. Sweet dried dates with nutty malts run with the main flavor. Very warm, alcoholic burnt molasses, from start to finish. Bitterness of oak and light spruce needles hang in the aftertaste.

mouthfeel; perfect medium body with a warm, fizzy alcohol burn. Very clean and smooth with a slick swallow. Heavy in the stomach but refreshing.

drinkability; very tasty but the alcohol is no joke, quite warm but not overly hidden. The aftertaste is a little rough around the edges. This is a drinkable beer but I would sip it, snuggled by a fire.

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2011 04:39:35 | More by Sachsenfreude

pkalix

California

4.78/5  rDev +14.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

poured from a 16.9 oz bottle into my Duvel tulip glass. beautiful dark ruby, garnet with little lacing, but toffee smell. one of my all time favorites and after the chimay blue and duvel, it brings an awesome balance to my tatsebuds. the website says it's a 'winter ale' but it tastes great in the summer warm. a good scotch on the side almost sounds very complimentary... i'm a happy man tonight!!!

Serving type: bottle

08-04-2012 00:55:28 | More by pkalix

dgallina

Georgia

4.75/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a coppery chestnut with giant tan head which subsides quickly, but leaves a creamy film and good lace. Smells of caramel malts on a slightly smoky, hoppy, and spicy alcohol base. Starts with an initial bitter hop kick, develops dark rummy fruits balanced with sweet, toasted and smoky malts, and finishes with a bone dry flowery hop bitterness. Stupendously creamy and well-balanced in the mouth. Easy to drink, but quite heady. A superbly balanced and tasty brew.

Serving type: bottle

01-10-2005 00:39:37 | More by dgallina

daythree16

Tennessee

4.75/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Poured into a snifter. Medium brown in color with a small head that fades quickly leaving spots of lace on the glass.

Scent of raisins, figs, and malty caramel goodness. The taste is very malty and sweet, but not too much, and there some earthy yeasty tones as well. There is also a bit of a bitter finish to the beer. No alcohol burn whatsoever.

Medium bodied with a slightly dry, bitter aftertaste. Love, love, love the malty, sweet, earthiness of this one. It may be my new favorite Scotch Ale.

Serving type: bottle

08-01-2008 05:11:31 | More by daythree16

jcdiflorio

West Virginia

4.75/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

11.2 brown bottle served into a tulip glass.Poured a mirky mahogany color with some deep ruby red highlights with a small creamy light tan head and some sparsely tiny bubbles slowly rising.

Pleasing dark fruit aromas mostly of dates and figs,earthy spicyness with smokey peat Very inviting aroma,complex and delicate.

Very smooth and complex taste all the ingredents are blended very well,no standouts and very well balanced taste. Dark fruit,lots of earthyness with subtle maltiness has a nice touch of tartness with gentle hints of smoke.Complex tastes of malt and dark fruit and a slight tangyness with no taste of alcohol at 7.2 make this beer extremely quaffable. Has a nice creamyness making for a light mouthfeel. Could drink this beer all night if i could afford it the steep price tag over a $100 a case knock the drinkability down a half notch for me. Excellent brew, must try beer in my book.

Serving type: bottle

09-24-2008 01:27:51 | More by jcdiflorio

hippityhops85

Pennsylvania

4.75/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

I can't believe I've been passing over this beer for so long at my local Wegmans!

Pours a deep, and I mean deep, mahogany. Bordering on violet. Retains a HUGE, fluffy off-white head that sticks around for the whole ride. Already a beautiful beer.

Nose: First off is dark fruits. Really don't expect this off of a scotch ale but I'm ready to roll with whatever this beer will throw me.

To taste this beer is to taste the pinnacle of complexities of beer. There is so much going on but so much that works in perfect harmony. The subtle malt profile plays nicely with the mild fruit flavors resulting in an absolutely beautiful dance of flavors.

I will be going back to my store tomorrow and buying them out of this. Amazing.

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2011 02:07:18 | More by hippityhops85

Mediczod

New York

4.73/5  rDev +13.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This is an outstanding Scotch Ale. Dark amber, head fades fast. Smells of malt, peat, toffee and scotch. Lightly bitter with a slightly sweet aftertaste. Very smooth. One of the better Scotch Ales out there. I hesitated at spending $7.25 for a bottle of it, but it was worth every penny. I'm buying this one again!

Serving type: bottle

10-20-2012 00:56:07 | More by Mediczod

soulgrowl

United Kingdom (England)

4.72/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Appearance: Dark, earthy, amber brown with a luscious, velvety-smooth pillowy head. Great retention.

Smell: Like a forest in autumn, reminiscent of cabins at summer camps, sweet, leafy, herbal, and dense. Loads of ripe fruit, apple cider, raisins, dates; a just-right glaze of butterscotchy diacetyl that brings out vanilla ice cream undertones; mango notes emerge as it warms; a hint of maple trees and just a tickle of Scotchy alcohol.

Taste: Roasty and nutty with a Chianti sweetness, but not nearly as sweet as I anticipated from the nose, with a touch of espresso, a shake of of cocoa powder, and a handful of roasted peanuts and hazelnuts. Woody, resiny, and very herbal notes spice up the deep and dark malt base. Diacetyl is subuded, but present enough to lend noticeable vanilla-butterscotch tones. Finish is dry, with an aura of mint, then a lingering roasty, nutty mocha essence.

Mouthfeel: Lush and full, with smooth-yet-sparkly carbonation that matches the beer's balanced flavor perfectly. Sticky finish.

Drinkability: I've always been hesitant to buy this beer because of the price - but no more. It's absolutely worth it, a real gem. Exceptionally easy to drink, especially for 7% ABV.

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2007 08:39:36 | More by soulgrowl

thierrynantes

France

4.72/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Beer bottle (33cl.), tasted in 2008.

Appearance : in shades of red brown (quite light), with tan foam head (not persistent).
Smell : aromas of malt, slightly woody, vanilla flavor.
Taste and mouthfeel : the vinous of malt and hops in the mouth is powerful, malty with hazelnut nuances, peppery.
The return of malt and vanilla taste extends back fun.
Drinkability : a very good beer in the style Scotch ale (served 10°C-13°C).

Serving type: bottle

10-18-2008 18:19:34 | More by thierrynantes

sentomaster

Connecticut

4.72/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Reviewed from notes, although I've had the flavors imprinted on my brain like the sun burning into your retina.

Aroma- Light chocolate/toffee and sweet licorice. Worthers butterscoth candies. Floral, a bit earthy and light fruity notes- apple and pear maybe. Like heaven all up in your nose.

Taste- Follows the nose. Chewy soft bread in front with powdered chocolate/soft toffee sweetness following, but in great moderation and balance. Light floral and fruity notes appear and lead into an earthy, slightly smoky finish that lingers and lingers. If you pause for a minute you can hear children laughing and dolphins chirping among waves. Small twangy snap near the end where the bready flavors subside and the minimal alcohol spiciness mixes with the floral.

This is a brew for the ages. A masterpiece not to be taken for granted. Bathe in it's glory and craftsmanship and you will know there is greatness in man.

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2011 21:27:45 | More by sentomaster

jdhilt

New Hampshire

4.7/5  rDev +12.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

A dark, malty excellent ale. Low carbonation. Why is anything thing this good so expensive - $6.39 for 330ml. Very smooth, easy to drink but it is a sipper with the high ABV, anyway you want it to last more than a few minutes. Bought in Wells, ME.

Serving type: bottle

03-06-2002 20:48:47 | More by jdhilt

scootny

New York

4.7/5  rDev +12.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A ruddy brown fluid poured into my tulip tumbler. A fragrant two fingered head of tight carbonation rises up and slowly fades. A touch of lace on the sides of my glass. The clarity is good and allows me to observe a distinct lack of carbonation activity.

Smell is sweet and bready. A heavy dose of dark fig like fruits and a touch of butterscotch. Alcohol and faint florals.
Malt, toffee, a hint of coffee as well.

Taste is a big malt palate with some earthy peat like smoke. Sweet burnt caramel dipped figs and a dusting of mocha powder. Gentle hops show up in the dryish finish. A clean bitter that leaves a trace of wine and alcohol and fades into graham crackers.

Moutfeel is gentle, creamy and smooth,

Drinkability oh so good. Not a chugging beer but one to sip continuously through the night, glass after glass.

Serving type: bottle

08-12-2008 01:37:02 | More by scootny

runningjoke

Virginia

4.7/5  rDev +12.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 5

This pours dark brown wiyh reddish tones. The head that manages to form dissapates quickly.
Smells of caramel, toffee, mincemeat, vanilla.
Malty flavor of dark fruit, bread, somewhat earhty on the finish with alcohol esthers following.
Very thin mouthfeel, and the flavor does not linger. Ultimately, easy to drink.
I only feel that the body of the beer needs to be amped up a bit, but an exceptional beer otherwise.

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2010 14:31:22 | More by runningjoke

dahlen22

New Jersey

4.7/5  rDev +12.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

After years of passing this one over because of the 5.99 price for 12 ounces, and I mean YEARS, I finally gave it a go.

Appearance: Deep dark brown color with a small head.

Aroma: Malty and some figs.

Taste: The taste is smooth with abundant malts, some dark fruits, then figs and oak in the aftertaste with just a hint of spice. The 7.2 is well hidden under the complex flavors.

Overall: This is an exceptional ale. Another great offering from Scotland, which in my opinion, has great beers for such a small country. This is a smooth but complex ale to be sipped and savored any time of year. Cheers!!

Serving type: bottle

07-17-2011 17:50:36 | More by dahlen22

MJR

Missouri

4.68/5  rDev +12%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Pours an extremely dark garnet with as much clarity as you can get with this dark of a red. A light tan head starts at around a finger thick and quickly shrinks to a small cap. Great lacing on my thistle-shaped glass.

Smell: Fantastic aroma of sweet fruits, toffee, dark chocolate, and Christmas figgy pudding. A touch of smoke hides just under the surface. There's a bit of spiciness in there too.

Taste: Spicy and sweet with a nice undercurrent of alcohol warmth. There's lots of rich chocolate, along with a nice dose of dark fruits. That figgy pudding note that appeared in the smell is here in spades. A touch of roasted malt. Smoke floats under the other flavors, revealing itself here and there... Finishes with a warming alcohol touch, as well as a hint of bitterness, probably from the grain, rather than the hops used. Very rich and complex...

Mouthfeel: Rich and chewy with a thick, round mouthfeel. There's a solid alcohol feel that's there the entire time, and it makes the finish a bit dry.

Drinkability: Remarkable for it's strength...while it's good now, I can't wait for winter to come again so I can enjoy this one by a roaring fireplace, while laughing at the bitter cold outside.

While it seems a bit pricey at almost $5 for a small bottle, it's well worth it.

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2003 14:21:23 | More by MJR