Allagash Odyssey - Allagash Brewing Company

kkipple

South Carolina

4.4/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

Shared this on a warm spring evening not too long ago with my fellow BA member, Faustgeist. Poured into two big goblets with an inch left in the bottle.

At first blush, this beer is unassuming. It's a deep woodsy brown with a 3cm spotty, off-white head that lingers a bit. Nothing unusual or memorable.

The smell is weak at first, but as the beer warms it opens up and eventually is quite impressive -- both my friend and I thought we smelled oats, along with a bold toasty oak aroma and a single clean alcohol note. Mild molasses and / or brown sugar, medium roasted malt, the ever vague "dark fruit", and a mild roast character also come through. The nose is strangely cool and not hot or overbearing at all, which is odd given both the style and the claimed 10% abv.

A taste reveals a subtle, complex beer. Odyssey is slick, roasty, and has a certain green apple tartness to it along with some figs and roasted grain, but is held together by a very evident oak flavor that should jump out at anyone familiar with wine. The malts are toasted and a bit nutty, ultimately rather sweet, and along with the oak are the backbone of this beer. Hop presence is minimal.

The mouthfeel is smooth, cool, and eventually dry. It's wonderfully low carbonation means it goes down more like a dessert wine than a beer. Oh yes, this is good.

Allagash Odyssey is a toasty, oak flavored sweet beer, and both very well balanced and surprisingly drinkable. It's not a bit harsh or overly oaked, as some barrel-aged beers are wont to be. A pleasant surprise and a refreshing change of pace from in your face, big beers. Give this to your wine-snob uncle who claims beer is beneath him. Highly recommended, but to buy it too often would spoil the fun.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2007 22:02:04 | More by kkipple

wagenvolks

Texas

4.53/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Split a bomber with trep...poured into a tulip glass.

Appears an opaque, deep plum color with a tan head that disappears quickly. Smells like a good Merlot wine, with notes of plum, grapes, sour alcohol notes, plus bread & a little chocolate.

Tastes of licorice plus grapes and cinnamon spice. Very tasty with a complimentary mouthfeel. Alcohol note present as it warms. Feels smooth and tarty with a subtle carbonation that doesn't overpower the palate & complements the flavor. Definately one I'll be having again, despite the steep price. It's worth it.

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2007 16:21:21 | More by wagenvolks

BillyB

New Jersey

4.35/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 5

Apearance- Dark mahogony brown with a nice one fingered off white head. Nice belgian lace on the glass ( a St. Bernardus Chalice).

Aroma's of dark fruit, raisins, plums, brown sugar, caramel, vanilla, chocolate.

Taste is oakey, vanilla, dark fruit, brown sugar, caramel.

Mouthfeel is smoth , creamy, nice alcohol warmth.

At 10% alcohol this beer is so smooth and easy drinking that I'd like to replace my morning coffee with it.

What a brew!

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2007 22:49:53 | More by BillyB

blackie

Virginia

4.5/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

October 2006 bottling

appearance: The pour into my stubby wine glass gives a 1/2" khaki head that slowly recedes to leave a nice layer on the surface. No lacing. The beer is a deep ebony wood color.

smell: The nose is a blend of malt and oak flavors in near perfect harmony. The malts, wheaty and toasty, accompany notes of toasted oak. A swirl of the glass brings forth mild pipe tobacco. Papery, fresh Belgian hop aromas and some notes of cranberry with just the right ethanol presence. Notes of scotch. The wheat malt is a great base for this varied range of character, allowing each to come out uninterrupted.

mouthfeel: The carbonation is on the light end of the high side and smooth. The medium to high-medium weight of the body comes across very well, and almost seems lighter than it really is.

taste: Not really sure where to begin here. A ton of flavor, but very well blended to the point of a perceived subtlety. The wheat malt is probably the cause of this. Cherry and sweet cranberry in the background. The medium-toasted oak flavors spread across the palate, really coming through just before the finish. Finishes with toasted malts revealing themselves over a moderate bitterness and hop flavor. After a few toggles between 4.0 and 4.5 I finally settled on the latter.

drinkability: Wonderfully drinkable for the style and ABV... 1/3 of the bottle has left me thoroughly warmed.

Yet another winner from Allagash. It's actually not quite as complex as I usually like a BSDA to be...but taking into account the uncommon use of a wheat base for the style gives it a few more points in my book.

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2007 03:11:01 | More by blackie

geexploitation

Indiana

4.68/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours very dark but quite clear, with surprisingly light amber highlights and a surprisingly tenacious tannish head. Rich aroma of caramel, vanilla spice, some smoky meat notes and light coffee-and-cream. On the palate, rich and perfectly balanced flavors mix with excellent carbonation and smooth barrel-derived tannins. Very creamy in mouthfeel and flavor, along with some slightly sweet nutty, coffee and cream notes and slight twang of acidity. Some alcoholic hotness, but it serves mainly to activate the other flavors and lengthen the finish rather than distracting you. Overall, this is a great beer, and one of the better barrel-aged Belgians I've had. The oak barrel notes aren't too sweet, too forward, or too cloying; instead they just add some great nutty and vanilla-y notes to an already tasty Belgian brew. Excellent beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2007 04:54:44 | More by geexploitation

sacfly

Maryland

3.6/5  rDev -15.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

750ml, Bottling: October 2006
Pours a deep reddish brown color with a large head of tan/brown bubbles. Vanilla and oak in the nose. Taste is roasty with hints of bourbon, tobacco, wood, and a hint of plums. Rather thin mouthfeel. Moderately dry aftertaste. The bourbon comes out more at the end. Enjoyable and different, but not something I would choose often. I think this could use some aging.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2007 14:25:44 | More by sacfly

weeare138

Pennsylvania

4.4/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Appears a dark, mahogany brown with a 2 finger, off white head that slowly fades out and sticks to the glass.
Smell is of raisins, brown sugar, plums, caramel, vanilla, cocoa, oak, dough, tobacco, caramelized apples.
Taste is of the mentioned aromas. The balance seemed to be slightly skewed towards the oakiness and leaning away from the Belgian goodness but overall, it's enjoyable and very well done.
Mouthfeel is smooth, creamy, sugary, medium bodied with mild carbonation and a semi-dry finish. Some may think it's a bit "thin" but it's the dryness from the oak tannins that gives them this initial reaction.
The abv is evident after a few sips and it makes you wonder whether or not the beer was soaked in used bourbon barrels. The barrels were newly toasted American oak so the caramelized bourbony flavors are all derived from the beer combined with the oak. Nice.

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2007 21:31:55 | More by weeare138

srrn

North Carolina

4.13/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

I did not know what to expect as this is my first oak aged beer. Immediately after popping the cork I was thinking this smells like sherry. Lots of vanilla in the nose too. It poured a deep brown almost cola color. Taste was sherry like with some hints of vanilla and a nice bitterness in a very long finish. This is not a brew to quaff after mowing the lawn, it's perfect for late night sipping before bed. I'd imagine it'd be great after a meal.

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2007 14:56:23 | More by srrn

phisig137

Virginia

4.15/5  rDev -3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Bottled October 06. Pours a deep brown mahogany color, with brilliant ruby highlights. Deep rich cherry wood color. One finger head has great retention, and slowly falls into a smooth blanket of foam, with a good amount of lacing.

Aroma is very inviting and warming, like a holiday house party. Slight aromas of spicy yeast phenols, caramel malts, and warm waves of soft vanilla. A fairly volatile alcohol in the nose lends a bit of bourbon notes to this as well.

Flavor is fantastic. Nicely malty up front, and only slightly sweet. Vanilla from the oak plays a prominent role in the flavor, and melds well with the malt and yeasty flavors. This does have a fairly strong bourbon type flavor, mostly due to the vanilla, but not nearly as in your face as the Curiuex. Well balanced, but the alcohol is a bit hot on the finish... also leading to the spirit like sensation of bourbon. Mouthfeel is creamy, smooth, and full. Drinkability is pretty good.

I've come to conclude that the Allagash barrel series are all fantastic. I can't wait to have this after a couple years in the cellar, once the alcohol dies down a bit. Truly a fantastic beer, and well worth the $14. Highly recommended.

Serving type: bottle

12-22-2006 00:09:50 | More by phisig137

TastyTaste

Minnesota

4.08/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: Dark brown body, steady streams of carbonation. Head is ok, fast fading, creamy looking.

Smell: Vinous and yeasty, oakey, yes (you can smell it across the room). Earthy, you can smell the alcohol. Nice, very interesting.

Taste: The oak gives it the initial impression of wine. The yeast and malt are strong yet smooth, the backend of the flavor is fortified by the alcohol (and hops, plenty of hops).

Drinkability: A very interesting oaked beer, enjoyable, rich and unique.

Serving type: bottle

11-16-2006 02:59:46 | More by TastyTaste

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

4.88/5  rDev +14%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Dark raspberry tea with a great deal of carbonation leading up to a gorgeous cap of golden ecru froth that filled more than half the glass on the pour. Backlighting brings out wonderful ruby highlights that make a fantastic looking beer look even better. Now this is how a BSDA should look.

The aroma is impressive. It was merely good initially, but with warming has acquired a power and a complexity that mirrors the flavor profile. With a wee bit more vividness and more definition, it could easily compete with the best Belgians. Hell, it just might do so now. I smell figs, tobacco and ground clove above all else.

Odyssey is amazingly delicious beer! Rarely, if ever, has my mouth been so awash in so many flavors that change from the beginning of each mouthful to the end. I've only had a few samples so far, but this might be the best BSDA that I've ever had. I bow before the brilliance of Allagash.

I'm not even sure where to begin in attempting to describe what I'm tasting. First off, this beer eschews power for nuance. That isn't to say that it isn't absolutely bursting with flavor, just that it's so refined and so angelic in the mouth that one doesn't feel as if they're being bullied the way that some big beers tend to do.

Sweetened fig puree, sticky dates, raisins, the finest oak-aged single batch bourbon, light molasses, dark toffee, plum jam, pipe tobacco, cloves... and on and on and on. Even though there's a considerable amount of sweetness, it doesn't come close to sticky or cloying. Like just about everything else about this beer, the sweet-bitter-sour balance is sheer perfection.

I originally felt that the mouthfeel was a tad too light to be deserving of the ultimate score. No longer. I can't imagine a more heavenly mouthfeel than the one greeting me with each and every sip... now that I'm well into the middle of the bottle. It's such a perfect (there's that word again) combination of suppleness, silkiness, light chewiness and buoyant carbonation that no other score is possible.

Allagash proved long ago that they're one of my favorite breweries in all the world. No other American brewer so reliably recreates the classically Belgian styles, and oftentimes meets and surpasses the best that that country has to offer. Simply put, Odyssey is an outstanding BSDA and is one of the best beers of any style that I've ever had the pleasure to drink.

Serving type: bottle

10-08-2006 21:57:28 | More by BuckeyeNation

cbl2

New York

4/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

4/12/2005 $12.99 750 mL 10.40% Bottled February 2005; 1 of 5460 bottles.

Appearance:

Resembles Coca-cola, as it is poured, with a dark, almost opaque black/brown body topped by about a half inch of tight white bubbles that are slow to settle.

Aroma:

Extremely complex aroma that yields ripe plums/figs, vanilla, subtle hints of chocolate and smoke. Definitely intriguing.

Taste/Mouthfeel:

Oak is definitely present in this one, with flavor characteristics reminiscent of a dry chardonnay. Plenty of vanilla accompanied by a mouth warming alcohol presence are the first flavor sensations. A semi-sweet chocolate presence creeps in towards the end of the sip as well, but this one is mainly vanilla due to the oaking. Interesting, though not spectacular, I'd like to see how this ages.

Serving type: bottle

08-03-2006 16:45:58 | More by cbl2

GClarkage

California

4.43/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

07/25/06- Received in a trade with Jetsbeer.

Presentation- 750ml bottle, caged and corked. Bottled in February 2005. Poured into my Duvel tulip.

Appearance- Sort of a peat colored pour. Darker than brown, but lighter than black with a kinda dark green glow. Different to be sure. Full 3/4 inch head...settles in with a nice bit less than 1/4 inch frothy remaining head. Lacing it streaky and spotty.

Smell- Wonderful vinous oak barrel scent...especially as it warms. Made the mistake of drinking most of this at a lower than desired temperature. Lots of creamy caramel scent in the malt. One of the few beers that I enjoyed smelling more than I did consuming.

Taste- Rich and dark caramel malt with a quite large woody and oaky flavor. Much more than the Cruiex. Even a nice hoppy aftertaste. Licroice or anise flavor kicks in after the swallow. A few prunes, raisins and plums tossed in for good measure...maybe a bit bready as well.

Mouthfeel- A bit to carbonated for the style in my opinion. Because of the oaky qualities I would expect more of an old ale texture...instead it's pretty highly carbonated, even after sitting in the glass for an hour. Won't knock it down too much though.

Drinkability- Overall a very quality brew with a fabulous scent and great flavor. This one will be interesting to taste 5 years down the line....if I only had a bottle...sob :(

Serving type: bottle

07-26-2006 05:33:39 | More by GClarkage

kmo1030

Massachusetts

4.33/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

bottled february '05

deep dark cola brown with with a thin tan head that leaves a little lacing.
it has a big simultaneously whiskey-like and vinous aroma. it's got bits and pieces of rasins, vanilla, chocolate, rootbeer, black licorice (actually a little jäger like). a little beat of wheat here and there. with warmth fruitcake aromas come out.
the smell is a good approximation of what it tastes like with a lot of whiskey character, vanilla, wood, and somewhat vinous in the effect of the alcohol. dark ripe fruit especially juicy grape lies underneath the whiskey mingling with the alcohol.
lighter full body with substantial not sharp, but effervescent carbonation.
good drinkability in the context of what it is: a sipper. overall a very impressive unique beer that a little bit of age helped to round out.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2006 23:23:21 | More by kmo1030

woodychandler

Pennsylvania

3.88/5  rDev -9.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

This poured with a light, deep-brown head. The beer itself was a deep brown color and the nose gave off an unmistakable smell of bouron whiskey as imparted by its aging in used barrels. The mouthfeel is thin, light, and unobtrusive, whch was somewhat surprising. Both the taste on the tongue and the finish are awash with a bourbon-sweetness, sort of like coconut. I'd like to have Lew Bryson weigh in with his thoughts on this one.

Serving type: bottle

04-19-2006 21:43:53 | More by woodychandler

Crosling

Colorado

3.9/5  rDev -8.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Dark burgundy color. Coconut and cork aromas, with hints of vanilla, bourbon and fruit. Not much aromas from the actual original brew, but the barrel contribution is vibrant. Flavor is very vinous, with hints of raisins and grapes, chocolate and perhaps a hint of amarone. Hints of bourbon and vanilla as well. Pretty rich, with a nice body to boot.

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2006 15:51:42 | More by Crosling

barleywinebrewer

New Hampshire

4.8/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

I loved this beer. They need to make more. Being a limited it has run out in the various stores I frequent.

Pours a very nice ruby black. Nice carbonation and head.

The smell is wonderful. Knowing this was their dubbel I was not expecting the aroma. Toffee, vanilla, oak, molasses. Definitely says take a drink.

The oak is definitely up front in the tast. Welcoming and complimentary, not overpowering. Toffee, molasses, vanilla, wonderful belgian candy sugar presence and a nice alcohol warming effect as the beer comes to room temp.

This is an immensly drinkable brew. When the brewery released a few cases at a crazy $20 a bottle I had to go back and pick up a couple more to continue to enjoy this beer.

If they make it again buy as much as you can find and enjoy!

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2006 16:01:14 | More by barleywinebrewer

tavernjef

Minnesota

4.9/5  rDev +14.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Bottled Feb. 2005 - Glossy black body with deep burgandy highlights within. Inch high, puffy tannish foam sits for good length before settling to a big fluffy collar and a solid skim. Minimal lacing in small globby strings and a few spots.

Heavenly aroma of vinous-like oak decorated in lots of dark nuances of dark fruity malt, black licorice, tootsie roll chocolate, carob, vanilla, and a splash of good Ol' alcoholic breath.

Taste has an emaculately creamy front that's airy and rounded with a full brunt of dark fruity malts. Has a short stay middling area of chocolate and date flavors. Lively and full on the swallow with warmth and alcoholic texture bringing a breeze of vanilla and port flavors. Hints to carob, root beer, black licorice and, anise. Finishes great with great length and memory with a leftover melting pot of rich chocolate laced with dark fruityness and sticky maltyness and lightly fluffed with some cocoa powder composition. Its much more complex then what I'm able to describe and soak in, but take my word for it. Its damn good!

Feel is a very solid medium body with a uniform ride of interchanging full areas gliding from point to point, as do warming qualities, creamyness, smoothness, and maltyness. Looong finishing area, it sticks with you for a day and a half. A very complexing texture and character to this beer. Quite spectacular!

Yum, yum, and yum, this stuff is killer! Fantastic job by Allagash. No surprise really, but damn I could never get sick of this stuff. Me likey.

Two thumbs for RealityDeviant for coming through and getting me some!

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2006 02:45:27 | More by tavernjef

Gueuzedude

Arizona

3.8/5  rDev -11.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

February 2005 Bottling, Sampled January 2006
Pours quite dark, as I am pouring it, it shows a deep amber-brown color that is pretty clear. The beer sits a dark espresso color and is topped by frothy tan colored head that is initially two-fingers thick. As I pour this beer I immediately get notes of oak and alcohol mixed together. The oak is definitely the dominant note here, it smells woody with mixed notes of buttery oak, and hints of vanilla, and some sort of note that reminds me of cola. Underneath the oak is a nice fruitiness that reminds me of raisins. The combination of the vanilla oak notes and the malt remind me of some sort of fresh bready pastry or muffin perhaps.

The taste is initially quite dry up front, but has a certain fullness and amount of body to it, that seems like it might be contributed from the oak & tannins. The body has a soft creaminess to it that is accentuated by a soft vanilla note. This beer hides its alcohol quite well, and even the oak is not so egregious as to be overwhelming. The oak is definitely pretty prominent here, buttery oak is foremost, but there is a woody almost nutty note as well. As in the aroma I get a certain note here that reminds me of cola, interesting and it seems to work here.

While the oak is not too dominant in this beer, I think that it is a bit too much. There is not enough of the rich beer notes that I would like to see. The malt is too subtle underneath the oak; perhaps a bit of caramel and a certain fullness that I would attribute to malt character. This is certainly drinkable, and I would even want a few more bottles of this to age for a couple of years.

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2006 04:41:04 | More by Gueuzedude

MuddyFeet

North Carolina

4.8/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Definitely one of my favorite choices for the style. Poured dark. When held up to the light there was some slight shimmering around the edges of the glass. Finger-width deep head of white foam that receded to a stringy film. No lacing. Slight heat in the nose. Also pulled out some licorice and spices.

Very full flavor that holds up--and even improves--as the beer warms. Some tingley spices at first quickly followed by a bit of heat from the alcohol. That licorice I pick up in the nose comes out a bit more in the flavor. Belgian sugars give this beer a thick, dense feel and a sweet tooth. The oak was very subtle and was not the focus in this beer. Very thick mouthfeel that finishes a tad dry. A wonderful, slow-sipping dessert beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2006 06:13:44 | More by MuddyFeet

lordofthewiens

Maine

4.83/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

This is a sublime beer. It has a dark red-brown color with a moderate-sized creamy head. It has a sweet spicy odor with vanilla undertones as well as some spice. A sweet taste, with a charcoal/smoky flavor. A very good mouthfeel, not too bubbly. I thoroughly enjoyed this beer, and could drink it all night, except its 10.4%ABV precludes this (at least if I want to function the next day).

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2006 01:01:00 | More by lordofthewiens

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

3.15/5  rDev -26.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Bottle (February 2005 drank in January 2006): Poured a deep ruby color ale with a quite large off-white foamy head with better then average retention. Aroma of alcohol is detectable with some sweet malt. Taste has definite bourbon presence with some semi-sweet malt. Body is definitely thinner then expected. I was expecting a bit more complexity from this beer – no yeast signature, alcohol taste too evident, thin body.

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2006 18:14:51 | More by Phyl21ca

Jason

Massachusetts

4.58/5  rDev +7%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

750ml brown magnum with a bottling date of February 2005 on the label.

A- Two fingers of think head stick to the glass all the way down as bubbles continually rise to the top. A shade of garnet within the deep dark brown colored brew.

S- Candied fruit, almost fruit-cake like smell. Toffee and bread crust, over-cloved molasses cookies. Spicy fermented wheat, phenols and alcohol make for a very complex aroma.

T&M- Molasses cookies, cloves, candied fruit and pecan brittle all come to mind. Lush smoothness with a mild crispness that cradles the delicate yet feigned thick body. Solid oaky bite, teethy with a drying effect. Tad buttery with a alcohol warmth in the back.

D- Crazy Crackers! This has to be, hands down, one of the most flavorful, complex and enjoyable beers I have had in a long time. Allagash makes brewing a quaffable 10% Belgian style beer look simple. Paired this with some hard goat cheese and bunderfleish.

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2006 02:45:34 | More by Jason

nlmartin

Ohio

4.38/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from the bottle into a wide mouthed goblet.

Apperance: The beer pours a very nice cloudy ruby coloration. The head was at least two fingers high off white. Small rivelits of lacing was left behind on the glass.

Smell: The beer has a nice malty fruity plum smell accentuated by spicyness.

Taste: The beer leads with a nice fruity sweetness. The sweetness gives way for a peppery bite. Then goes sweet yet again before finishing dry. The alcohol doesnt really make itself known in the taste.

Mouthfeel: This beer has a very creamy mouthfeel. The beer is full bodied and holds its booze well.

Drinkability: This is a very big beer. The beer is very well balanced. It has survived almost a year in my cellar. I hope the remaining bottle is as good next year.

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2006 14:33:34 | More by nlmartin

orfeu

New Mexico

4.75/5  rDev +11%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

750 mL, corked and caged. Bottled February 2005, 10.4% abv. Glowing mahogany with garnet highlights and a clinging, sand-colored foamy head. Aromas of figs, dried cherries, and prunes, all soaked in vanilla- and orgeat-infused bourbon. Fluffy and light mouthfeel supports a roasted almonds and vanilla bean/date sugar sweetness. Spicy alcohol emerges right before a dry, sugared filbert finish. Brilliantly balanced and highly drinkable for such a rich and full-flavored ale. I can't wait to see what another year or so will do to this. Delicious.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2006 00:03:49 | More by orfeu