Xyauyù Etichetta Rame (Copper)
Birra Baladin

 

 

Bottle from share. Dark, clear Amber, dull flat pour. Fruity, sweet aroma seems syrup y. Taste is malty and sweet, fruity, malty. Gentle, but potent. Super smooth.

2005 Vintage. Bought at Yankee Spirits Attleboro for $42.

Look: Amazing. Flat, dark brown/burgundy. Looks like bourbon but somehow more ...beautiful? In a Baladin Teku, next to the beautiful bottle. A treat just to look at.

Smell: This one hits you in the face with that beautiful Xyauyu smell. Not the barrel-aged version but it might as well be. Bourbon whiskey and dark fruit, exactly what you want to smell.

Taste: I could go on for hours about this. But it's hard to describe without trying it for yourself. It tastes kinda exactly how you would think based on the appearance and smell. It's downright perfect.

Feel: It's flat, purposefully left out in a tank until the carbonation is gone before bottling. That's how I like my barleywines. We had Sucaba tonight too but that just fell so short because of the tiny amount of carbonation it had left. Baladin got it right though. It's not too heavy, but it does coat your mouth so well that the flavor seems to linger for an hour or two.

Overall: Out of 1,500 or so beers I've had over the past few years, this is hands down the best. I was happy I got to split it (the cost) with two other people, but now having tried it, I will be going back soon to purchase another bottle for myself. More complex than most barleywines like JW Lees and such, and more well-balanced than Utopias. A real treat.

Edit: Received another bottle as a gift and cracked it. Still an absolute pleasure to drink. Taste is a mix between bourbon, Tawny port, and Utopias. We enjoyed half of it then recorked it. A few days later, it's still just as good. Gotta love how they deoxidize this one before bottling. Over 2,000 beers now and this might still be the all-time favorite.

 

 

 

 

A 2005 cracked on New Year's Eve 2014, the eve of its tenth birthday. Poured into a Bourbon Barrel Temptress 2014 snifter. Purchased off a shelf the same day, cooled in a 40 degree room for 5ish hours before being opened.

Appearance: Completely flat, no head, translucent copper to amber body. Thick and syrupy, clings to the glass. Exactly what I was looking for in this beer.

Smell: Boozy, lots of dark fruit, mostly raisins, with prominent vanilla and oak notes as well. Very port-like. Which makes sense considering the age and style of this beer.

Taste: Raisin juice. Mixed with molasses. Hints of toffee and vanilla come through, and the raisin flavors stick around after everything else is gone. Dried figs in there too. Some boozy heat, but not too much. My mom couldn't tell it apart from port. Definitely a lot of similarities, that oxidation really worked well here.

Mouthfeel: Flat flat flat. Not even a hint of carbonation, but I really wasn't expecting or wanting any. Sticky and thick, this really seals my lips shut. Long linger on the palate, consumed by the raisin and fig flavors.

Overall: Not quite as complex as Thomas Hardy or Utopia, but a lot of similar flavors going on for sure. I love these flat super-aged beers. Probably would have been better off with the JW Lees which was a quarter of the price, but I'm very happy to have tried this.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A huge thanks to Eric and Matt for sharing both gold and copper at our recent Houston BA tasting at the Gingerman.

A: Pours a still, ruby red color. A minimal beige head forms, but recedes to nothing in a second. Basically what you would expect for such a beer.
S: Warm, toasted malts throughout. Caramel sweetness, vanilla, chocolate. Dark fruits like cherries and plums A bit of oxidation which really adds to the complexity.
T: Like the nose, the malty character is amazing. Toasted and caramel malts. Certainly sweet, with vanilla and chocolate. Dark fruits, and very sherry like. A bit of oxidation, that is very welcome. Incredible.
M/D: A big full body and low, almost still carbonation. Though not over baring viscosity that other beers of this strength seem to have. Ultra smooth and creamy. The alcohol is there, but in check. Amazingly enjoyable to sip on. Very much like a sherry or port.

This might be the best drinking English barleywine I have had not named JW Lees. It has aged incredibly gracefully, with finesse that many beers of the same strength miss. A great treat, and very much worth the high price tag for those that enjoy the style. I love it.