Gordon Finest Gold Blond
The Caledonian Brewing Company

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From:
The Caledonian Brewing Company
 
Scotland, United Kingdom
Style:
Scotch Ale / Wee Heavy
ABV:
10%
Score:
85
Avg:
3.69 | pDev: 15.72%
Reviews:
9
Ratings:
12
Status:
Active
Rated:
Oct 06, 2021
Added:
Dec 04, 2002
Wants:
  3
Gots:
  0
No description / notes.
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Rated: 4.17 by Curt3 from Ohio

Oct 06, 2021
 
Rated: 3 by BigCheese from Massachusetts

May 09, 2012
 
Rated: 4 by rekel from Netherlands

Nov 30, 2011
Photo of rarbring
Reviewed by rarbring from Sweden

3.68/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
The beer is clear golden with a white head that leaves some curtains.

The smell is much sweet fruit essence, banana and honey, some alcohol is noted.

The taste is mostly sweet, honey and spices, some fresh fruit flavors.

Medium high carbonation, some syrup feeling.

The sweet fruit flavor makes this beer's character, but hard to go with many foods, IMHO. Sampled at a "blind" beer tasting at De Klomp, Linköping, Sweden. Wee did not nail it.
Aug 21, 2010
Photo of BillyBoysPie
Reviewed by BillyBoysPie from Kentucky

4.46/5  rDev +20.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5
From a bottle into the very swanky Gordon's Finest Gold stylized tulip/snifter glass at Aufsturtz in Berlin, Germany. Google the glass.

Beautiful beer from the pour. Since I was in Europe, the volume was marked on the glass and I hit it right on with the foam to beer ratio suggested by the glass. Literally a pure gold color - deeper than a more straw color like Duvel - with a dense white foam that left the glass well laced.

I quite liked the smell of this beer - honey, honeysuckle, roses, and (of course!) alcohol. The alcohol isn't masked at all and it gives a small burn to the smell. If you're turned off by alcohol heavy beers that alcohol forward, you'll want to stay away.

Taste was quite good. I liked the balance of the flavors, and the alcohol played into the palate in spite of it's presence.

A really delicious beer that doesn't get overpowered by carbonation or flavor. Dense, but not syrupy.

I found this easy to drink and enjoy. It was definitely a sipper - the glass itself made that clear - but if it's over the course of an hour, you probably won't feel it.

Worth a try if you like the idea of a beer that is a balance of roses, honeysuckle and alcohol.
Oct 31, 2009
Photo of JohnfromDublin
Reviewed by JohnfromDublin from Ireland

3.43/5  rDev -7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
I tasted this 33 cl bottle on 21.09.2008 (best by 09-2009). It was a green bottle with a twist-off cap, with an embossed label (not paper). Brewed in Benelux for Anthony Martin, 10% ABV. I noted that the bottle was a thin walled low pressure one. I also have a distrust of green bottles for beer.

It poured a clear golden brew, with tiny bubbles rising, topped with a nice white head.
Aroma was a subtle grassy hops smell.
The taste was a decent warming brew, alcohol not "up front", pleasent enough, but not complex in flavour or as challenging as I thought it might. Overall, it was a bit of a let-down, but not bad.
Sep 22, 2008
Photo of therica
Reviewed by therica from Maryland

4/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Imagine sitting in Leuven Belgium, getting one of these on-tap along with your Trappist Rochefort 10, and realizing that it's a beer made by a noted Scottish hotel chain?

I see that it's shown as 10%ABV, although I was told by the extremely beer-savvy Belgian bartendress that it was 7.5%ABV on-tap and 10%ABV in bottles. She knew her stuff like it was her religion, too.

A= nice gold color (see my photo-icon I uploaded), sudsy pure-white head.

S= a nice whiff of golden-ale sweet malts and florals.

T= slightly sweet, slightly watery, a modest hops-bite, nothing overly present or overwhelming, yet a very nice presentation overall, and very refreshing. The malt was much more apparent in the finish and aftertaste.

M= clean, slight sweet malt hops feel.

D= allnighter on the on-tap version.
Jan 06, 2008
Photo of bark
Reviewed by bark from Sweden

3.68/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
The colour is golden yellow; the big, hard foam is white.

The smell is full of fruity notes: Sweet apples, apricots and peaches are mixed with the smell of alcohol.

The taste is sweet with hints of puff pastry, wheat flour and fruit-flavoured marshmallows, but not in an annoying way. It got a light, plain taste of hops in the background. The soft aftertaste is quite alcoholic, but it got notes of sweet bread, butter (diacetyl) and marzipan.

I enjoyed this beer, shame about the high level of alcohol. After drinking a bottle (330 ml), I got very tired and a bit dizzy. Which is strange, I don’t get that reaction when I drink a pint of ESB that contains as much alcohol as in this bottle.
Feb 23, 2004
Photo of GreenCard
Reviewed by GreenCard from Maryland

2.86/5  rDev -22.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2
Appearance: beauteaus crystalline gold color, a bubbly layer of white head that quickly dissipates to a meager crown

Aroma: caramelly malt sweetness, a touch of apple fruitiness, alcohol, a touch of hops

Flavor: a thinnish malt backbone overwhelmed by a potent alcohol taste, some hop flavor and bitterness, reminiscent of malt-liquor (Mickey's?), rather sharp taste, dryish finish, rather one-dimensional

Mouthfeel: medium full body, fine carbonation (but lot's of it... burping up a storm), sharp alcohol sensation

Overall Impression: The appearance is probably the finest aspect of this beer. Sure, it's got a fairly high abv, but what else? Not too much.

This beer is actually brewed by Brouwerij Palm (as are the rest of these Gordon beers).
Oct 29, 2003
Photo of Popsinc
Reviewed by Popsinc from Canada (ON)

3.06/5  rDev -17.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Clear golden pour with a nice white head. Reminded me of a glass of apple juice. I found the nose to be slightly sweet & malty but for the most part very subtle to the point of being dull. The mouthfeel was bubbly and rough. Very heavy on the maltiness and ditto for the hoppy biterness. The pinch of sweetness fades fast into a dry, alcohol bite, finish. Very strong, warming beer. However, I much preferred Gordon Finest Red.
May 31, 2003
Photo of stcules
Reviewed by stcules from Italy

3.21/5  rDev -13%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
The foam has maybe bubble too large, but not so bad. A good appearance, with a golden colour, with amber reflexes. The alcoolic level (10 ABV) is evident. Smell with whisky malt. Alcoolic and warm even at the taste. Maybe not too balanced, but velveted and drinkable.
May 27, 2003
Photo of mmthompson33
Reviewed by mmthompson33 from Kansas

4.75/5  rDev +28.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5
This beer is phenomenal - incredible alcohol content hidden by a yeasty bread dough aftertaste. It looks so clear and innocent, yet it is deadly.

I can confirm that quality varies dramatically from bottle to bottle. In Europe you usually get it fresh and the head lingers throughout the beer. I tried an old bottle in the US and the head disappeared in 2 minutes and there was a stench of alcohol aroma, but it still wasn't terrible. Just a bit spoiled.

Gordon beers are a unique phenomenon - try the Scotch Ale. As far as I know they aren't imported to the US. They should be so I can buy them every day...
Feb 01, 2003
Gordon Finest Gold Blond from The Caledonian Brewing Company
Beer rating: 85 out of 100 with 12 ratings