Baladin Xyauyù Etichetta Rame (Copper Label)

Brewed by Le Baladin
Style: Barley Wine
Piozzo, Italy

2005 Bottle Vintage; Sampled January 2009
A wine bottle that, unsurprisingly, has no carbonation. As I pour this beer notes of sherry and prunes are noticeable. The beer has not head and has a deep, dark-red / purple-plum color with a touch of brown around the edges. When held up to the light the beer shows a clear, bright ruby hue, but there is a ton of floaties in the beer, despite resting comfortably for at least a month. This has lots of fruity notes that are reminiscent of Brandy (dark grape notes, concentrated berry notes and a jam-like red wine character). There is a nutty note here as well as the soft sherry notes, but I wouldn’t say that this is overly oxidized; it is a very impressively smooth oxidation. The alcohol provides some warming to the nose.

The beer is quite sweet. It finishes with a solid fruitiness that reminds me of Port. Flavors of prunes, raisins, dried blackberries, . In the finish there seems to be a touch of herbal hops and a faint bitterness that doesn’t really become noticeable in the finish until long after the beer has left my mouth (giving a chance for the sweet fruit notes to die down a bit). Thee is a light nuttiness and a hint of sherry, but this was a bit more prominent in the aroma. A touch of orange zest (more like Grand Marnier) joins the other more dark fruit driven flavors. While the sweetness provides lots of viscousness to this beer, the lack of carbonation tends to keep the body light some how; despite this the beer is most definitely a sipping beer though

This is one of those beers that you would be hard pressed to guess is beer in a blind tasting. This tastes so much like a fortified wine (like Port), and it drinks just like one as well. I really enjoy a good Port from time to time, and I am really digging this right now. This is very interesting, it isn’t overly complex though as really the sweet, dark, oxidized fruit flavors tend to dominate. I’ll admit this wasn’t at all what I was expecting, but this is quite good.

[2005 bottle]Pours clear copper colour. No head, just a few big bubbles floating on top. Sweet, malty aroma with notes of rowan sherry. Thick, sweet and oily mouthfeel. Flavour is very sweet with notes of oak, sherry and rowan berries. Alcohol is very well hidden.

Moderate malty and moderate hoppy aroma with notes of sherry. Virtually none head. Clear, red brown body. Heavy sweet flavor. Medium to full palate.

2005. pours a flat gold copper with no head. Heavy alchohol on the aroma, the strong scent gives a hesitancy to take the first sip, but the alchohol is stronger on the nose, and it is not has hot as the aroma suggests, very well balanced and much smoother than what is going thur your mind as you bring the glass to your lips, the first sip is the hottest, but once it gets on your tongue each subsequent sip gets better, where the last sip was the best and I was begging for more. Once your palate adjusts you can notice the subtlties in this beer and it is DARN good, and a wonderful drink. Mouthwatering so, very enjoyable,and ag reat conversation ehancer. good stuff.

2005 bottle. Copper color, only a few bubbles on top. Wonderful woody sherry aromas, hints of marcipane, plums, chocolate, just a fantastic sensation. Sweet chocolate flavours, wood and vintage port appearing, chocolate again towards the finish. Wonderful balance between fruit and chocolate, sweet, but still restrained. Soft, oily, velvety texture. Tastes more like the best of vintage ports than a barley wine.It was expensive, 20 euro at Salone del Gusto for 500 ml, but worth every euro.

Burgundy colored, no head even with a violent pour. Aroma has strong notes of port. Sweet malts with a fruity oak balance. Enjoyable but obviously not worth the price tag.

Flat oily jet black with absolutely no head nor carbonation. Love gold and silver label. Copper less. The former two resembles sherry and port, full of plums,figs, dates, chocolate, vanilla. Flavour is sweet, warming, and all the aromatic features fully develops as warmed by the mouth. Certainly not boring nor sickening, velvety palate. Hard to call it beer, tough.

Pleasant aroma rich of chocolate caramel, malt, dark fruit and sweet chocolate. Strong but balanced