Les Trois Mousquetaires Série Signature Alt Secrète

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

Pours into my 25cl tulip glass with a fairly dense, tan colored, initially three-finger thick head. The beer is a murky, concentrated, dark amber color that shows a deeply hazy, bright red color when held up to the light. The aroma has lots of caramelized malt notes to it that are lightly offset by some spicy hop notes. Sweet smelling, with a berry / raisin like fruitiness, aromas of toasted malt, spicy hop notes similar to cinnamon and candied lemon zest as well as a touch of herbal notes in the finish.

This has a rich, caramelized sweetness to it that does not taste overly cloying. This up front sweetness is balanced in the finish by both an herbal hop bitterness (that is just a touch green) as well as a toasted malt character (almost a cocoa note there towards the end too). The mix of caramel malt and spicy hops contribute a flavor that is something like cinnamon, though not quite. The malt contributes a touch of nuttiness to the flavor profile as well. The hop character here is actually pretty significant; the over-abundance of caramel malt notes here make you forget about them at times, but there is a fair bitterness this brew as well as a lightly grassy, definitely herbal and a certain, candied citrus peel note that are each quite distinctly noticeable once you try and ignore the malt.

This is a very rich brew with an over-abundance of caramelized malt character; it is really just a bit too much, though it doesn't make this undrinkable. This definitely has a touch of murky malt flavors to it that go along with the appearance; actually I am surprised how murky this is even after sitting in my fridge for a couple weeks.

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 6 | Overall: 6

Bottle: Poured a deep clear brown color alt with a medium foamy head with OK retention and minimal lacing. Aroma of grainy malt with a lightly dry finish and yeast notes similar to the classic Alt taste. Taste is also a mix between some unrefined grain notes and a dry lightly hoppy finish. Average body with good carbonation. Nothing earth shattering from a style that I enjoy more or less but that I have rarely the chance to try.

Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 9

350ml corked bottle Decanted a deep reddish-brown hazey ale into the stein. Wonderful billowy 3 finger sticky cap that lasts and laces Aroma: Wunderbar! Almonds, bread, woody earthyness, a light musty-sweetness. Profile: Toasty, nutty, rich thick malts..full bodied and a rich mouth feel...like liquid toasted walnut bread smeard with a leafy herbal-woody marzipan...totally non cloying...finishes with the ample noble hops drying the flavor out with a sharp wet birch wood bark tone as the dark malts leave a light pucker...bready herbal after taste. Rich, deeply flavorful, satisfying and outrageously drinkable...perhaps that is the secret of this "Sticke" Probably this brewer’s best effort ..an Alt to die for...hope it’s available again...I’ll buy cases next time.