OHanlons Thomas Hardys Ale (vintage 2003 and later)

2008 Vintage. Hazy brown pour with almost no head or carbonation. Aroma is strong and complex with notes of toffee, orange, molasses, malt and raisins. Flavour is very similar but has additional notes of brandy, apples, yeast, brown sugar and spice. Full bodied, oily mouthfeel and a medium to long sweet finish with a trace of bitterness. A very nice barley wine, a little bit more carbonation wouldn’t hurt but still a fine ale. Will definitely be getting a couple of bottles to age for a while.

Classic. Nice looking deep reddish brown with a minimal beige head. Aroma is generously malty (after some age) with notes of raisins, caramell, toffe and leather. Flavour is even more generous with additional notes of dried fruits, carmelized sugar and a warming biting finish that never gets too hot.

2005 bottle. Nice sweet smell, dark oily character, almost without head. Great taste, very sweet and a lot of caramel and syrup, maybe some port and raisins, strong but well balanced. Doesn’t quite have the long aftertaste like some of the belgium reservas. Still, this is a fine art of work and a great and well tasting beer!

Bottle. 2008 Vintage. Pour is a murkish brown with a slightly reddish tint. No real head to speak of and minimal carbonation. Wow aromas are brilliant with so much going on. I am getting some butter scotch, heaps of stone fruit, malt and a little spice. Also plenty of alcohol. Mouthfeel is quite dense and perhaps slightly oily. Flavours once again plenty of malt, caramel and fruit. Slightly resinous hops on the finish and a whack of alcohol. Man what a great beer even this young. Brilliant.

2007 Bottle - thanks oteyj. Light mahoghany pour with a thin beige head. Rich aroma of citrus and fruits, perhaps some grape? Sweet candied sugar and more citrus. The taste is so smooth and balanced, nothing jumps out right away. A huge, thick and creamy body. Faded hops, citrus, light florals, and more candied sugar. Just blended so well. Very nice.

Bottle 2004 vintage. Hazy deep brown pour with small head. Sweet, dark fruit, boozy aroma. Tastes very sweet, dark fruits, malty, heavy, caramel, banana. A quality port like brew. This bottle seemed incredibly sweet too me.

8.5 oz 2004 bottle P40520. Poured an ugly flat lifeless brown body with basically no head. Aroma was pantastic with lots of malty sweetness, raisin, dates, brown sugar, wood, sweet dough, caramel, toffee, prune and plums. Medium palate and a slight twinge of carbonation which is shocking for a beer that had no head whatsoever. Flavor is sweet with lots of liquid toffee, caramel, grape, dates, brown bread dough, Pilsbury biscut dough, dates and slight plastic notes. This was one solid ber but do I have to wait five years plus every time I want to crack one open???

2004 bottle. Big big beer on the nose and in the mouth. Still firery. Poured with no head in a dark ruby red colour. Lots of blackcurrant, fig and port flavours. Alcohol is still quite dominate. Nice sipping, stopping to appreciate the full aroma. A bit harsh, maybe a year or two more would be perfect.