XXXX Grappa Reserva
De Struise Brouwers

Pours a clear, mahogany coloration with a tiny, fizzy head. Smell is rather sweet and boozy, with some bready, caramel malt, brown sugar and dark fruit as well as fresh and tangy grape notes with a hint of citrus. Taste is a good balance of rich, sweet malt, toffee, brown sugar, red/dark fruit, with notes of red currant, raisin and fig, as well as some more fresh and tangy grape and citrus notes and just a hint of spice, with notes of cinnamon and clove and oak. Finishes syrupy sweet, with some toffee and dark and tangy fruit lingering in the aftertaste. Smooth mouthfeel with a rich body and low carbonation.

This almost reminds me more of an English Barleywine than a Belgian Quadrupel with its clear, reddish mahogany coloration and rather sweet and boozy flavor profile dominated by toffee, brown sugar and red fruit, with only hints of dark fruit and estery spice, although the Grappa barrels really add a rather interesting, fresh and fruity character here, with hints of tangy grape and citrus as well. It's a very rich, complex and interesting brew, but just too sweet and boozy for my personal taste and while the syrupy sweetness is somewhat balanced by that tangy fruitiness, the booze, which may very well fit with a brew like this well is just too much for me personally.

Light brown color with a thin head.
Aroma with notes of raisins, wood, molasses and grappa.
Intense flavor with notes of raisins, molasses, cinnamon, pepper and wood. Dry aftertaste with a nice bitterness.
Full body with appropriate carbonation with tiny bubbles.
Superb Quad with an Italian Grappa accent and great complexity and perfect balance.