Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

Cask conditioned at the Exeter Arms, Derby. Hazy brown colour, low creamy head. Moderate aroma, some English malt vinegar. Malty sweet flavour, full, rich and creamy mouthfeel. Not bad.

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

Cask conditioned at the Alexandra Hotel ("The Alex"), Derby. Deep golden colour, low head. Decent standard bitter, slightly nutty flavour, acceptable hops.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 10 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 9

Vintage 2003. 275 ml bottle at the White Horse at Parsons Green, London. Unusual, overwhelming and lovely aroma of port wine, raisins and dried figs, hints of barnyard. Very sweet, like drinking a sweet sherry with carbonation. Warming mouthfeel, as expected from an 11.5% beer. It’s definitely not a beer I’d drink every day, but it sure was an interesting experience. The sweetness makes this an alternative to sherry or port, rather than another beer. 275 ml is definitely enough for one sitting. I understand that some people find it cloying, but with a beer this rich in aroma and flavour, I accept the sweetness.

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

Cask conditioned (hand pump) at Ye Olde Dolphin Inne, Derby, at their Heavyweight Beer Festival February 2005 (but this one is possibly one of their regular beers). Dark ruby colour, low head. Fruity, chocolate sweet aroma and flavour, moderate roastiness. Very nice.

Aroma: 10 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 9 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 9

330 ml bottle, bought at Selfridge’s, London. Black (= very dark brown) colour. Truly impressive large and thick brown head. Aroma of malts, oak, leather, coffee and dark chocolate. Flavour is overwhelmingly bitter from the roasted barley and hops, but also sweeter than regular Guinness. Elements of very strong coffee, hints of bitter chocolate. Bitterness lasts through the long aftertaste. Not for beginners. The crowd who think nitro draught Guinness is "sooo strong" should try this one!

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

Cask conditioned at the Alexandra Hotel ("The Alex"), Derby. Very dark ruby colour, nearly black. Low thick head. Aroma of leather and roasted malts. Very smooth and drinkable with a well balanced roastiness. Coffee elements. A truly enjoyable dark mild!

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

500 ml bottle, as "Black Sheep Ale" ("Black Sheep Special Ale" is the cask version of the same beer). Amber colour, moderate fluffy head. Aroma of toffee / caramel and dried fruits, hints of barnyard. Mouthfeel is a bit thin, moderate flavour of dusty malts and hops. A bit too carbonated for my taste.

Aroma: 4 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 4 | Flavor: 5 | Overall: 5

330 ml bottle, London. Pale golden sparkling beer, poor head. Moderate hops and grass in the aroma. A tolerable amount of hops in the flavour makes this beer A LITTLE better than the average swill lager. Won’t buy again, though. I you want a good NZ lager, look for Emersons in stead!

Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 10 | Mouthfeel: 9 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 9

33 cl bottle, bought at Selfridge’s, London. Beautiful brown to ruby colour, good beige head. Complex aroma of oak and sandalwood, some pine too, old sherry, leather, pipe tobacco, sour cherries, prunes, hints of smoke . Flavour is woody with a pronounced roastiness, coffee notes, strong tea, hints of bitter chocolate, excellent hoppy bitterness. A truly delightful beer!

Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

Rerate, 33 cl bottle, now available in Norway (Vinmonopolet, + Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger): ABV is 7.0%. Hazy brown colour, big and lasting off-white head. Spicy complex aroma and flavour, some winey and woody notes too. The mouthfeel has still too much carbonation, but this is none the less a very fine beer. Original rating: 33 cl bottle, at the White Horse at Parsons Green, London. Served in "appropriate" Chimay glass (whether those wide chalices really ARE the most appropriate for savouring complex beers, is a discussion of its own). Unfortunately served far too cold - you’d think White Horse waiters knew better. For good measure, the waiter poured the beer along the side of the glass, which prevented the beer from "opening up", the head disappeared quickly and the beer kept too much carbonation. The beer has a brown colour, aroma of leather, balsamico vinegar and barnyard. Flavour is quite dry, well hopped, elements of leather and tobacco. Hints of cardamom and ginger. Aroma and flavour improves somewhat as the beer slowly warms up, but altogether this remains my least favourite of the Chimays - give me a Bleu, please! Still a decent beer, but with the Trappists I expect more. Will re-rate when I personally control the temperature and the pour.