Grand Prestige Vatgerijpt Bourbon Vanille
Arcense Stoombierbouwerij (Hertog Jan Brouwerij)

Doopie brought this one out for beer night a while back. Cheers!

From a 75cl bottle into a snifter
Vintage 2018
Aged 8 months on bourbon barrels
Drunk right after the bourbon BA version

APPEARANC: Pours a two finger, looser looking, foamier, off-white head with excellent retention. Clear dark sangria red in color with no carbonation evident. Head slowly fades to a good wisp and clings to the sides of the glass. A splotchy wisp remains until the end but leaves no real lacing down the glass as it empties. Same as the regular version.

SMELL: Dark fruits, raisins and dates, just like the regular version, with note so of pure chocolate as well. This one has a stronger bourbon presence, with oak and a good dose of vanilla beans as well. Boozy too.

TASTE: Bourbon, oak, more vanilla than the original, and dark fruit sweetness up front. Alcohol and bourbon at the swallow, moving into a medium but persistent finish of bourbon, oak, lots of vanilla beans, milk chocolate, as well as some decent dark fruity sweetness like raisins and dates. Flavorful and boozy for sure, with a stronger vanilla character as well.

PALATE: Medium body and medium levels of carbonation. Really creamy on the palate, smooth as well, goes down nice and finishes a bit mouth-coating. No heat. Really nice, just like the original.

OVERALL: This is really good stuff. The normal bourbon BA version was nice but this one is that plus more yumminess. The vanilla addition has resulted in more of the beans and has helped amplify the bourbon barrel in the nose as well. All the rest of the beer, namely the look and the feel, are just as good as the first rendition. This was a lot of fun, especially being able to try them in succession. Thanks again, Doopie. These specialty versions of the Grand Prestige were certainly worth the effort. Cheers!