Xyauyù Fumé (Islay Whisky)
Birra Baladin

Xyauyù Fumé (Islay Whisky)Xyauyù Fumé (Islay Whisky)
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From:
Birra Baladin
 
Italy
Style:
English Barleywine
Ranked #27
ABV:
14%
Score:
96
Ranked #968
Avg:
4.39 | pDev: 8.43%
Reviews:
25
Ratings:
67
Status:
Active
Rated:
Dec 26, 2023
Added:
Jan 17, 2013
Wants:
  22
Gots:
  9
2012, the Xyauyù aging experience reaches a new level with the arrival of Scottish barrels used to age great Scottish whiskies. Their distinctive peculiarity is the presence of peaty notes.

The name for this beer is not new. Xyauyù Fumè was originally produced with Lapsang Souchong, a Chinese tea which also has smoky aromas. Apparently, Teo does have his favorite whisky, but if you want to know which one it is, you’ll have to come to Piozzo and ask him.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by BucketBoy:
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Rated by BucketBoy from Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev -3.2%

Dec 16, 2014
More User Ratings:
Photo of REVZEB
Reviewed by REVZEB from Illinois

4.72/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
Had on cask aged 8 years! Pitch brown body, no head. Smoky barrel and rich dark fruit laden malt lead in all aspects, fantastic! Dark wood, leather, barley, and earth support. Smell and taste are clones. Rich luxurious smooth feel with rustic boozy barrel and campfire vibes while being super refined in the process. This is amazing, unique and incredibly executed, a candidate for beer of the year for me. The wife loved it
Dec 26, 2023
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Reviewed by DIM from Pennsylvania

4.71/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
The presentation here is gorgeous. The bottle with a minimalist grey label comes packed securely in a sturdy black wooden box. Since the beer is still it is sealed with a cork like a bottle of wine. The package includes an extra cap for resealing since this bottle is meant to be enjoyed over time. Looking forward to revisiting this often in the cooler months.

Based on my experience with regular Xyauyu and what aging it in cedar kioke barrels did, I have a very clear idea in my mind's mouth what this will taste like. I'm sure the Scotch barrels will work extremely well.

Oh yeah, this is what I hoped it would be. Many of the sweet elements from the base beer shine through. I get caramel, marshmallow, vinous fruit, sugary crackers and more. As some of the sweetness subsides, a subtle, salty soy emerges. There is smokey wood at the finish and the ending exhale is almost pure smoke. Just a phenomenal beer experience, thank you so much Frank.

Edit on 11/13/2023
Having a third pour from the bottle exactly one month after opening and there is no drop off whatsoever. Just as magnificent today.
Oct 13, 2023
Photo of kitch
Reviewed by kitch from Hong Kong

4.68/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
A 500ml waxed and corked bottle, 2014 vintage, bottle #1762. Poured into a snifter glass.

Appearance: A copper bronze colour, almost syrupy with no head and no lacing.

Aroma: Peat, leather, dark fruit, whisky.

Taste: Moderately sweet, dark fruit, brown sugar, toffee, caramel, light peat, and smoky notes.

Mouthfeel: Medium to full bodied, a touch syrupy, and no carbonation.

Overall: An excellent sipper with good balanced sweetness. Admittedly, there was a worry on my part that this would be overly sweet like the Xyauyù Barrel, but no, it was really enjoyable.
Jan 30, 2023
 
Rated: 4.56 by arzt from Germany

Jun 15, 2021
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Reviewed by JLK7299 from North Carolina

4.34/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Picked this up off a recommendation from a friend. Was on the shelf at OEC. Saved it for NYE. Very good. I love smoke but I think it was a little overdone in that regard. Very good though.
Jan 01, 2021
 
Rated: 4.25 by DvdP from Netherlands

Oct 24, 2020
 
Rated: 4.35 by Duffman79 from Connecticut

Sep 15, 2020
Photo of Damian
Reviewed by Damian from Massachusetts

4.07/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Drank from a 1 pint 0.9 fl. oz. bottle purchased at Ball Square Fine Wines & Spirits, Somerville, MA
Brewed in 2010
Served in a teku

The beer poured a completely flat and slightly hazed, dark caramel color. A small cap of light tan bubbles coated the liquid, but it was short lived. No lacing whatsoever. Tiny sediment particles coated the glass after each sip.

The aroma was quite peaty and smoky but not as punchy or as complex as I anticipated. Scotch barrel notes were most apparent. Moderately sweet with a subtle caramel-like quality too. Hint of tobacco. Bit of oxidation as well. Aged port came to mind.

The flavor profile was similar to the aroma but somewhat more interesting. Nice peaty, smoky quality on the front end. The smokiness was balanced by a sweet, fruity oxidized note. Dark fruits were apparent. Raisins, dried figs and prunes came to mind. Subtle vanilla notes appeared on the back end, along with some caramel-like sweetness. The oxidation intensified here as well. Woody barrel notes appeared on the finish.

Nice creamy mouthfeel. Medium in viscosity and somewhat syrupy. This definitely exhibited the texture of an aged port as well.

I have tried a number of the Xyauyù beers over the years, and have been a huge fan of each of them. This Fumè variant, however, was somewhat disappointing. While the peaty quality was neither too subtle nor too intense, it definitely masked the fruity, oxidative notes that were so prevalent in the others. I am curious as to how this nearly ten-year old bottle drank when it was younger.
Sep 22, 2019
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Reviewed by DefenCorps from Oregon

4.66/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75
Bottle, 2008 vintage that I picked up at Belmont Station 6or so years back.

A still dark caramel with no head or lacing, this beer has nice legs. The nose is sweet, smoky with dark caramel, dark brown sugar, peat, honey, nocino, a bit of burning bog, almond skin, walnut skin, a touch of raisin... This is endlessly complex and deep. The palate opens sweet and smoky with a strong peat character, along with bits of burning plastic, tempered tastefully by the strong sweetness. Layers of fruit, sweetness and smoke are present with a light floral note lifting the weighty smoke. Nutty, spicy, this is delicious. Toffee, a little bit of raisin, a touch of orange liqueur are present.
Full in body and with a long finish that integrates the smoke and the sweetness perfectly, this is marvelous. Clearly boozy but delicately warming rather that harshly burning. This balance is particularly impressive given the strong smoke character present too. Exceptional.
Sep 07, 2019
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Reviewed by oberon from North Carolina

4.58/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Insanely priced but it's a true gem,sweet but so smooth and velvety,smoky and deeply fruity with roasted nuts and a hint of peat.An incredible joy to drink....Outside of getting the bottle opened.
Jun 02, 2019
 
Rated: 4.36 by BeerForMuscle from New Jersey

Apr 16, 2019
 
Rated: 4.45 by Daniellobo from District of Columbia

Jan 14, 2019
 
Rated: 4.25 by BdM from Netherlands

Apr 11, 2018
Photo of stevoj
Reviewed by stevoj from Idaho

3.74/5  rDev -14.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Bottle from Darrell. 2006 vintage. Big and boozy, plenty of heat. Sweet, but the heat is what all this about. Nice velvety texture, sweet finish. Ages well.
Apr 01, 2018
Photo of DoubleSimcoe
Reviewed by DoubleSimcoe from Pennsylvania

5/5  rDev +13.9%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
Had this at some bar in Philly; it was listed under "spirits"... 3oz for $9 or 6oz for $13.

Insane right off, brutal aromas of delicate peatiness, chocolate, hazelnuts, Ferrero Rocher and heavenly skies.

Drinks smooth and easy like milk chocolate, no trace of 14%. Still but full, beautiful, round and complete.

Of all the fancy expensive Baladin barleywines I have had, this is by far the best one.

And so this is, right now,the best beer I have ever had.
Mar 01, 2018
 
Rated: 4.4 by liamt07 from Canada (ON)

Aug 25, 2017
 
Rated: 4.31 by Doomcifer from Rhode Island

May 29, 2017
 
Rated: 4.22 by Texasfan549 from Texas

Feb 24, 2017
Photo of NeroFiddled
Reviewed by NeroFiddled from Pennsylvania

4.28/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Birrificio Le Baladin "Xyauyù Fumé (Islay Whisky)"
on tap @ Bir & Fud, Roma, Italy
5€ / 5 cl glass

Notes: Listed at 13.5% ABV. Little head. Clear dark copper/russet brown. The alcohol is clear in the nose alongside notes of Sherry, caramel, Demerera/brown sugar/molasses, and wood/oak. The flavor is soft, sweet, sugary with caramel of all sorts, and subtle red & dark fruits. The alcohol remains clear, and along with the wood it dries the finish as there's little bitterness. There are suggestions of Scotch whiskey in the finish, but not the sea, salt, and peat of an Islay version. Dextrinous and medium-full in the body. Very little carbonation. Thumbs up.
Jan 25, 2017
Xyauyù Fumé (Islay Whisky) from Birra Baladin
Beer rating: 96 out of 100 with 67 ratings