OHanlons Thomas Hardys Ale (vintage 2003 and later)

Brewed by OHanlons
Style: Barley Wine
Whimple, England

Rating #1 Bottle of the 2004 Vintage #76502 enjoyed on 7-13-07 (7 2 8 3 17). A clear brown color with no head. Sweet, caramel, raisins and berry bread aroma, much like a fine port. Sweet and complex fruit flavors, apricots and pears, with a noticeable alcohol finish. Rating #2 Bottle of the 2004 Vintage #56196 enjoyed on 8-12-08 (8 3 7 3 17). A cloudy and murky brown color with a laced tan head. There is a huge berry, plum, raisin and fig aroma. They carry well but not as well into the flavor. Sweet and syrupy with well balanced alcohol and mildly tangy at the finish.

2004 vintage. First off, the bottle erupted with a slow geyser of foam. After it settled down and let it self get decanted, it had an aroma that had hints of alcohol, oak, apple, dark cherries, dark chocolate, and a touch of dark red wine. For it’s initial carbonation, it quickly faded to just have a ring of tan foam floating around the edge of the glass. It was a very dark red in color, with visible sediment through the bottle. The flavor is truly complicated... I’m picking up notes of smoke, sugars, dark cherries, plums, and a bit of alcohol burn on the finish. Very sticky and syrupy palate, it feel as if it is coating the inside of your mouth. Overall, it isn’t bad, but for the price I paid, I was probably expecting a little more. I do have another bottle of this in the cellar, and will probably pick up some others as well as different vintages to see how it matures in time. That’ll also allow me to have a fun vertical tasting of something.

I was fairly excited about this one, I finally bought it (on sale!). Definitely an English style BW. Smells and tastes more earthy than most I am used to, basementy and rooty sort of. Sweetness, older dark fruits. Good thick mellow taste. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

was expecting a bit more, nose is very Madeira, pours dark brown with almost no head. Flavour is burnt sugar, licorice and has almost a tokay style fortified wine finish. It’s like drinking a big bowl of brown sugar syrup.

2004 vintage. No need to age this for 20 years, it’s delicious right now. Strong port characteristics with a massive aroma and beautiful color. Thick, rich and delicious.

Pours thick and looks like syrup. The smell is sweet and full of yeasty bready type smells. Not much carbonation. The flavor lingers and has many dimensions. Starts sweet, goes fruity in the middle and ends with a bitterness that isn’t really hoppy as much as it is an over powering sweetness that is just too much to handle. The mouthfeel is oily and sticky beyond belief.

2005 vintage. Almost no head, just a few bubbles alongside the edge of the glass. Dark bronze-coloured. The aroma is all you can ask for on this side of death- sourly fruit blending in with intense nuttiness and raisins. A first somewhat chocolatey licorice flavours, then more nuts, continuing with more licorice and raisins. Still ending on a dry note. Smooth, oily texture with a great body. Vow, this beats most -and I have still three bottles left in my basement. Life is worth living.

2006 Vintage. Looks like port wine and with time surely tastes like port wine, simply brilliant. As a very recent vintage it still has some bitterness left and is perfect as it is but I would gladly sample an older variant.