As Buckinghamshire: Deep reddy brown with a large bubbly head. Tobacco and citrus on the nose with a slight sour tang on the first taste. Mellows out to dark, slightly nutty notes and a smooth finish.

<i>A Mes rate: Cask at the Pembury.</i><br />Dark amber brown with a thin off white head. Strong tobacco aroma with some bready malt in the background. Similar flavour, faint sweetness and a little on the bland side in all honesty. Slight peaty notes with some welcome hoppage in the finish giving a delicate but lingering bitterness. Not the best from Vale but certainly nothing wrong with it.

500ml bottle (as Buckinghamshire)<br /> Vanilla and nutty aroma - hazelnut. Sweet fruity body, a little nutty. Very well balanced. Hard to identify its strengths - I just like it.

I sampled a 500 ml bottle listed as Buckinghamshire Ale bought from Marks and Spencer. A rusty brown colour with a decent offwhite head. The beer smelled and tasted very malty, with a slightly dry aftertaste of hops. A very nice beer, the maltiness may make it more appealing to drinkers of Scottish beers.

As Vale Grumpling Premium (Old Ale):<br /> Appearance: Dark redish brown. Shortlived fizzy head, more head when warmer. Some sediments. Aroma: Nice malt, caramel and fruit. Taste: Quite malty, but also caramel and dark fruit. Info: 500ml bottle, 15/9-2007 <br /><br /> As Marks & Spencer Buckinghamshire Ale:<br /> Appearance: Redish brown. Little bit of head. Aroma: Nice malt and some hops. Taste: Malt and quite bitter. Some fruit. Bitter aftertaste. Info: 500ml bottle, 24/1-2008