Iron Duke
Wellington Brewery
- From:
- Wellington Brewery
- Ontario, Canada
- Style:
- Winter Warmer
Ranked #30 - ABV:
- 6.5%
- Score:
- 88
Ranked #18,550 - Avg:
- 3.94 | pDev: 8.38%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 72
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Mar 15, 2026
- Added:
- Sep 25, 2002
- Wants:
- 11
- Gots:
- 4
SCORE
88
Very Good
88
Very Good
Originally a seasonal brew, Iron Duke is Wellington’s winter warmer with the character of barley wine. An excellent dessert beer.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by talisen-crw from Canada (ON)
4/5 rDev +1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev +1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
At my lady Pamela's house; canned and chilled, 473mL in a pint glass. From their Craft Classics boxset at my favourite LCBO at Tecumseh Mall in nearby Windsor. Canned October 23/25. My 17th beer from the Guelph, Ontario brewery, and 10th for 2026. With Gracie the cat's explicit permission, to be sure...
Mar 15, 2026
Reviewed by taxandbeerguy from Canada (ON)
3.83/5 rDev -2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.83/5 rDev -2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
355 ml bottle served at about 8 degrees into a snifter. Purchased as part of the Wellington Reboot Pack #3. Looking forward to this beer as it appears very well regarded around here.
Appearance - A clear dark ruby colored beer is poured with moderate carbonation. A big two finger light tan colored head that froths with abundance sits on top. Good retention, keeping near a half finger of foam for a good duration and streaky lacing abounds.
Smell - Dark fruit, subtle spices of cinnamon and nutmeg are present. Cherries and figs, with dark chocolate. Basically a chocolate fruitcake in a glass. Subtle bits of lemon zest add a layer of complexity.
Taste - Dark fruit with some chocolaty and earthy bitterness. Flavors don't really pop with intensity, this is a more subtle experience. Minerally and also with some molasses. Touch of nutmeg and and maybe a trace of ginger. Vanilla appears in the aftertaste. Complex brew.
Mouthfeel -Smooth and reasonably light with a very dry finish. Carbonation is middling, probably on the low side, but pleasant. Body is light for a 6.5% ABV winter warmer. Creaminess improves as it warms
Overall - Certainly an enjoyable winter warmer, but without any knock your socks off flavors, Iron Duke will remain firmly in the very solid camp as opposed to rising to the very top of of the mountain. Probably the best beer of this sampler pack.
Nov 17, 2017Appearance - A clear dark ruby colored beer is poured with moderate carbonation. A big two finger light tan colored head that froths with abundance sits on top. Good retention, keeping near a half finger of foam for a good duration and streaky lacing abounds.
Smell - Dark fruit, subtle spices of cinnamon and nutmeg are present. Cherries and figs, with dark chocolate. Basically a chocolate fruitcake in a glass. Subtle bits of lemon zest add a layer of complexity.
Taste - Dark fruit with some chocolaty and earthy bitterness. Flavors don't really pop with intensity, this is a more subtle experience. Minerally and also with some molasses. Touch of nutmeg and and maybe a trace of ginger. Vanilla appears in the aftertaste. Complex brew.
Mouthfeel -Smooth and reasonably light with a very dry finish. Carbonation is middling, probably on the low side, but pleasant. Body is light for a 6.5% ABV winter warmer. Creaminess improves as it warms
Overall - Certainly an enjoyable winter warmer, but without any knock your socks off flavors, Iron Duke will remain firmly in the very solid camp as opposed to rising to the very top of of the mountain. Probably the best beer of this sampler pack.
Rated by Pmicdee from Canada (ON)
4.17/5 rDev +5.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.17/5 rDev +5.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Jan 24 2026
Sep 12, 2013
Reviewed by biegaman from Canada (ON)
3.81/5 rDev -3.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.81/5 rDev -3.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Iron Duke has a colour something like a bosc pear that's been heavily bruised; it is a murky, deep brown and, needless to say, not all that attractive. It's gloomy tone obscures virtually all highlights and clarity, imparting a dreadfully dreary complexion. Its head is sturdy but incomplete.
The aroma leaves a resounding sweetness in the nostrils - turbinado sugar and a fruitiness that resembles some kind of raisin/prune hybrid. There is a superficial semblance to port attributed not only to the fortified-wine notes but also a musty woodiness. Though more vivid on the palate, the beer's spiced Christmas cake-like persona is introduced via smell.
Iron Duke has the flavour (and nearly the texture) of a chunky oatmeal-walnut-raisin cookie. There are also notes of dried cranberry and plum pudding. Maybe some cocoa. The mouthfeel is thick and calls extra malt reinforcements to duty in the finish; each sip is like a beer bear-hug.
Though no alcohol is present, the beer can taste stronger than it actually is (6.5%). It has the requisite levels of richness and warmth to qualify as a 'winter warmer' (which the brewery claims it to be), though it borrows heavily the roasty and nutty characteristics of brown ales as well as the fortified fruitiness of a barley wine. It doesn't fit neatly into any one category.
Iron Duke's long tenure in the Ontario marketplace speaks to its quality and distinctiveness as well as its ability to engage new craft beer drinkers without losing the interest of deeply-ingrained ones. This is a great recipe that the brewery is rightly proud to now offer year-round.
Apr 29, 2013The aroma leaves a resounding sweetness in the nostrils - turbinado sugar and a fruitiness that resembles some kind of raisin/prune hybrid. There is a superficial semblance to port attributed not only to the fortified-wine notes but also a musty woodiness. Though more vivid on the palate, the beer's spiced Christmas cake-like persona is introduced via smell.
Iron Duke has the flavour (and nearly the texture) of a chunky oatmeal-walnut-raisin cookie. There are also notes of dried cranberry and plum pudding. Maybe some cocoa. The mouthfeel is thick and calls extra malt reinforcements to duty in the finish; each sip is like a beer bear-hug.
Though no alcohol is present, the beer can taste stronger than it actually is (6.5%). It has the requisite levels of richness and warmth to qualify as a 'winter warmer' (which the brewery claims it to be), though it borrows heavily the roasty and nutty characteristics of brown ales as well as the fortified fruitiness of a barley wine. It doesn't fit neatly into any one category.
Iron Duke's long tenure in the Ontario marketplace speaks to its quality and distinctiveness as well as its ability to engage new craft beer drinkers without losing the interest of deeply-ingrained ones. This is a great recipe that the brewery is rightly proud to now offer year-round.
Reviewed by jrenihan from Canada (ON)
3.81/5 rDev -3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
3.81/5 rDev -3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
On cask at Volo.
The room is rather dark, but the beer appears to be amber in colour. A typical cask-like bubbly head on top.
Nose contains toffee, and a bit of smoke. A bit faint, but pleasant enough.
Taste contains caramel, toffee, some smoke and a bit of a burnt flavour. A bit reminiscent of whisky, actually (only sightly). A bit on the bitter side. with some earthy and grassy hops present.
Medium bodied, low natural carbonation. Nice cask feel.
Overall, pretty good. A pleasant beer, nothing to search out. Haven't had this in a bottle for a long time, so I can't say whether it is better in cask or not, but it seemed like the cask treatment worked well.
Jan 12, 2013The room is rather dark, but the beer appears to be amber in colour. A typical cask-like bubbly head on top.
Nose contains toffee, and a bit of smoke. A bit faint, but pleasant enough.
Taste contains caramel, toffee, some smoke and a bit of a burnt flavour. A bit reminiscent of whisky, actually (only sightly). A bit on the bitter side. with some earthy and grassy hops present.
Medium bodied, low natural carbonation. Nice cask feel.
Overall, pretty good. A pleasant beer, nothing to search out. Haven't had this in a bottle for a long time, so I can't say whether it is better in cask or not, but it seemed like the cask treatment worked well.
Reviewed by Antikythera from New York
3.75/5 rDev -4.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
3.75/5 rDev -4.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Bottle poured into glass.
a: I thought this would be like a stout, but it's not that dark at all. It's the colour of strong brewed tea, and a bit cloudy. Foamy head settles down but sticks to the glass in layers. I can see how much I drank in each mouthful by the high water lines on the glass.
s: nothing special. A bit of that odd proteiny smell that I don't like, but there's not enough of that to be disagreeable.
t: pretty mellow for such a dark beer. A little nutty and a little sweet.
m: a bit overcarbonated, but that goes away and leaves a pleasantly slippery feeling.
o: good stuff. If I want something dark this is one of my favourite local options, especially for the price point.
Sep 26, 2012a: I thought this would be like a stout, but it's not that dark at all. It's the colour of strong brewed tea, and a bit cloudy. Foamy head settles down but sticks to the glass in layers. I can see how much I drank in each mouthful by the high water lines on the glass.
s: nothing special. A bit of that odd proteiny smell that I don't like, but there's not enough of that to be disagreeable.
t: pretty mellow for such a dark beer. A little nutty and a little sweet.
m: a bit overcarbonated, but that goes away and leaves a pleasantly slippery feeling.
o: good stuff. If I want something dark this is one of my favourite local options, especially for the price point.
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