Edinburgh Tattoo Strong Ale
The Caledonian Brewing Company

I sampled this one in the witherpoons pub, Robert the Bruce in the southern Scottish town of Dumfries.

The pint poured a dark bronze colour with a decent off white head that hugged the glass for the duration of the pint. The nose was very pleasant, mainly dominated by malts, with a hint of caramel, hops and a variety of fruits including berries and also a faint hint of bannana.

These fragrences made there way through to the taste of the beer, but they were not too dominant. The hops and malts were obvious and the caramel was roasted and again a variety of fruits with a definate aftertaste of bananna (no I hadn't eaten one).

The pint felt good in the mouth with plenty of body. However it was not too sweet or rich as wee heavys can often turn out. One of the nicest beers of this style I have tried and would highly recommend it to anyone.

A good well-balanced ale. Given the strength, this is very drinkable.

The bottle I drank was NOT bottle conditioned. Colour is deep-red brown, not much head.

Even given the strength, the taste was more complex than most beers, but since I ate a meal at the same time, I'll need another bottle to be more specific.

Hazy (bottle conditioned), russet brown in color, and topped by a light tan head that soon dissipates to a minimal collar and whispy surface coating. The aroma offers a dark caramel malt with some light fruitiness, a touch of alcohol, a gentle roastiness and an earthy hop note (Fuggles?) in the background. The body is full/medium with a very fine, low level carbonation (@ 1.8 volumes CO2), making it a very smooth and creamy in the mouth. The flavor is rich with a softly fruity and dark caramel malt that displays notes of burnt sugar and deep toffee as well as a light licorice note and some gentle roastiness. The maltiness is well balanced with bitterness and some grassy hop flavor - not as sweet as some strong Scotch ales can be. Nicely complex. The finish is simply a muted, lingering extension of the flavor. Very nice. This beer is best enjoyed at close to cellar temperature (45-50F), rather than straight from the fridge, to enjoy it's full range of flavors. Very well done and highly recommended.