Sample from a bottle. Mostly clear light bourbon colored brown with a small, thin head. Striking nose of dried apricots, grapes, plums and a heavy load of sharp caramel and maple. Alcohol easily noticed, but just below what I would call hot. Bitter up front, some maple and bourbon notes develop over the middle, along with more of this dried apricot and raisin bread flavor. Not exactly harsh but quite bitter, and warming throughout, with a boozy bourbon and caramel malt finish.

On tap at falling rock: red, amber color little head. Aroma of coffee, molases and some plum juice. Taste/feel: very sweet malt taste slight notes of chocolate cherry. Low carbonation, vinous feel. This is the smoothest tasting barely wine I have had. Very nice.

2002 vintage. Very sweet and malty smell. A bit old, wasn’t properly stored. Still not bad after sitting in the garage for 6 years, held up well. Large malt flavor, with a bit of bitterness in the end. Cloudy dark brown color, no head whatsoever. Still not too bad.

12 oz bottle.<br /> Ar: Raisiny, with some sweet, carmelly malty notes, No hops, &#40;7/10&#41; 6/12<br /> App: Med Amber, cloudy/muddy, no head, but a light ring of off-white bubbles at the edge of the glass, &#40;3/5&#41; 2/3<br /> Fl: Malty sweet up front with a fruitiness that lingers. Some hop bitterness, but little hop flavor &#40; a touch of citrus as it warms&#41;. Finish that tends on the bitter side. A little more malty than hoppy - a start that is malty dominated and a finish that is bitter doiminated. &#40;7/10&#41; 14/20<br /> Mouthfeel: full body - coating, light carbonation, warming. little astringency, if any. chewy. &#40;4/5&#41; 4/5<br /> OA: I’d call this a malt-forward barleywine. it’s definitely sweeter than hoppy, although as it gets warmer, the hop flavor comes through. Overall, pretty tasty, but I think that the hop character could be increased or the malt could be decreased to make it a liittle more balanced. &#40;14/20&#41; 7/10