Challengingly impressive prune-hued slow sipper aged in Bordeaux wine barrels and secured by toasted oak chips during 2006. Belgian yeast imparts creamy maple-sapped molasses-cocoa-toffee frontage immediately garnished by bittersweet raisin puree abundance, port-like red-purple grape ripeness, and burgundy-sherry-barleywine warmth. Oncoming buttery Chardonnay subtlety lingers through spiced hop cinnamon, cardamom, and clove illusions. Latent bruised orange-cherry-banana impressions resonate forever alongside candied caramel apple serenade.

Immediate sour orange nose pervades prickly hop sharpness and peppercorn succor countering butterscotch creaminess, sugary vanilla sweetness, and overripe apple hints of turbid eggshell-headed amber-hued full body. Dinky spearmint-eucalyptus tingle underscores spicy glint before honeyed malt finish develops.

Re-fermented-in-the-bottle, sophisticated prune-clouded medium body anchors mellow medicinal sherry sweetness to velvet-y smooth hop-spiced subtlety; lacking harsh alcohol pungency of inflated quadrupel label. Flowery clove-nutmeg accents, fizzy apple-wined tartness, and mild orange peel bittering provide exquisite holiday seasoning to chewy caramel malt facade. Cinnamon raisin, almond, and grape illusions come and go. Oddly compelling; melts in your mouth.

Meritorious bottle conditioned ruby-hued Belgian-styled quad brings strong prune nosing to thick dark rum-like sugar-caned maple-molasses sweetness, variable raisin-fig linger, chocolate liqueur simmer and earthen peat-tobacco remnant. Sticky licorice-candied malts rise against impending cherry-banana slumber, supple red grape tang and lemony raspberry tartness at plush sherry-port midst, further strengthening distinctive slow sipper. ’08 version brought burgundy, Merlot, and Chardonnay illusions and cherry puree whim to mellowed finish. Serve with hearty meal such as beef stew.

Sheer heft of appreciable 12% alcohol splurge never disrupts funky orange sourness, tart quince pith, or counterbalanced sweet malt stickiness. Slightly turbid Belgian-inspired ale best serves enlightened double bock snobs.

Spectacular oak-barrel aged 11.8% alcohol-doused quadrupel places creamy vanilla easement next to silken bourbon frontage and chocolate-y cherry Kirsch midst. Brown sugared molasses sap enriches rum-soaked raisin, plum and prune waver. Cherry-pureed cognac, brandy and whiskey licks smooth out soft banana-pear-honeydew fruiting.

Engagingly full-bodied Abbey-styled quadrupel ale with deep prune turbidity maintains aromatic whiskey-dipped chocolate liqueur wreath, hazelnut-sugared frangelico rum saucing, cotton-candied cognac quip and sweetly soured raisin-prune-plum variance. Musty fungi earthiness underscores ripe dried fruiting. Undeniably rich, robust, and alcohol-fueled (12.2%), settling into mocha-malted barleywine sanctuary.