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

(330 ml bottle, ABV 6,2%). This fine beer is cloudy deep golden with an enormous creamy head. It has an intense, overwhelming but lovely aroma of ensilage, horse stable, leather and spicy fruit cake. The flavour is complex and spicy, hops stand out, the aftertaste is dry but could have lasted a little longer. Still, this is clearly a world class beer. Definitely moreish!

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

Among commercial pilseners from giant breweries, this is one of the best. Very drinkable.

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

Rerate, 330 ml bottle, Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 10%. Dark brown colour, huge off-white to beige head. Aroma and flavour mainly as the first time, but I drank the beer a little colder now, and the sweetness was not overwhelming. I’m upping it a couple points. Original rating: 330 ml capped bottle. I had trouble getting the very hard cap off (no proper opener at hand), and 1/4 of the beer was driven out by the carbonation before I succeeded. Drank it at temp. appr. 14 degrees C. Beer was murky brown with floaties, large tan head. Aroma was malty sweet with prunes, figs, dates, chocolate and cedarwood. Flavour was again malty sweet with prunes, figs, dates and chocolate. No detectable bitterness. A complex beer, but too sweet to be "perfect" IMO.

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

330 ml bottle, ABV 6%. Drank it out of a plastic "glass" (sacrilege, I know!) at cellar temperature. Cherry-like aroma with hints of cowshed and ensilage. Flavour is sour/acidic/red wine vinegar-like, with strong barnyard and ensilage elements (not that I normally eat ensilage, but still...). This was my first Flemish red ale, an exciting experience! It will not be my last beer of this style.

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

A helluva lot better than the Leffe Blond! (Guess I'm a malty guy.) Pretty sweet; caramel, chocolate, oak and dried fruits in the aroma, malts (somewhat roasted), caramel and oak in the flavour, hops in the finish, a little too sweet in the aftertaste. Not bad!

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

I guess Belgian blonds are not my favourite style, the yeast becomes too dominant in both aroma and flavour, not least in this one. Of course it's better than any macro swill, but give me a darker beer, please!

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

Rerate: It takes some time getting used to beer with an overwhelming taste of cherries, but dammit - this is GOOD! Sweet and sour cherries galore - but I like it. A nice change of pace - will buy again. I'm upping my rating a few points. Original rating: I bought a bottle today purely out of curiousity. I willingly admit being prejudiced: My attitude is that if I want cherry juice, I buy cherry juice - and if I want beer (yes, I normally do!) then I buy beer. So how do I rate a combination of the two? The aroma was delicious, the flavour - well, it's the best cherry soda I've ever had. But to call it a BEER??? - and worth the price? - nooo! However, REFRESHING is a relevant word.

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

330 ml mock "stoneware" glass bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 8.5%. Chestnut coloured beer with a big and lasting tan head. Lovely aroma of various fruits and spices, hints of farmhouse kitchen and red wine vinegar. The flavour is malty with moderate notes of dried fruits and spices. Nice one.

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

(33 cl bottle, now available in Norway). Deep golden to amber colour, large head. Very nice aroma of dried and ripe fresh fruits and herbs, yeast, malts, oak and pipe tobacco. Flavour is spicy with an alcoholic warmth (no surprise at 10% ABV), elements of dried fruits, medicinal herbs and brown candy sugar. Herbal aftertaste. A very good beer that packs a real punch.

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

(33 cl bottle, bought in Denmark). Deep golden brown colour, no haziness, large head. Aroma is not very strong, but pleasant - yeasty and fruity (canned plums), some spices and herbs too. Full bodied sweet flavour, still quite smooth. Brown candy sugar, Christmas fruit cake spices and herbs prevail. Some alcoholic warmth, but not dominant. A great sipping beer!

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

(33 cl bottle, bought in Denmark. ABV was 8.5%.). Cloudy brown with floaties, enormous thick creamy head. Lovely complex aroma of cherries, figs, prunes, spices, oak and sandalwood. Flavour is not quite as complex - malty, some fruit and spices, rather alcoholic, bitter finish. I wish the aftertaste had been as good as the aroma. A beer well above average, but not as good as I expected.

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

(330 ml bottle). Beautiful deep amber colour, just slightly hazy. Great head. INTENSE aroma of spiced alcohol (nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon), hints of ammonium chloride too. Flavour is malty and spicy, but not as intense as you'd expect from the aroma. Sweetness seems just right. Aftertaste is good, but a bit short. An interesting beer, like so many Belgians.

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

This is a very refreshing witbier, citrus and yeast aroma, pleasant flavour, subtle aftertaste. I liked it better bottled than on tap, should not be served too cold.

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

(33 cl bottle, bought in Denmark). Pours cloudy golden with floaties, large head. Strong yeasty and flowery sweet aroma , some spices (pepper) and herbs too. Flavour is fairly malty with a distinct peppery touch, hints of oak. Some alcoholic warmth, not unpleasant. Moderate but sufficient bitterness. Not bad at all.

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

(250 ml bottle). Pours with a large thick head, colour is copper. Intense aroma of red fruits, red wine vinegar and horse stable. Lovely sour flavour of fruits, notes of spices. Aftertaste says "more, more!". A great beer.

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

330 ml painted lightproof bottle, ABV 9.0%. Large head, surprisingly pale golden colour, slightly cloudy when yeast is poured. Excellent aroma, red fruits, barnyard and yeast, some oak. Flavour is reasonably malty, quite yeasty. Alcoholic warmth, relatively light bodied despite its strength. Aftertaste is a bit too sweet IMO. Overall quality does not quite live up to the beer's gimmicky name and bottle.

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

(250 ml bottle). Dark but clear red-brown colour, large fluffy head. Aroma of heather honey, caramel and plums. Flavour is malty sweet, some caramel, very little hops, watery-dusty (does that make sense?) finish. OKish, but not remarkable.

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

330 ml bottle. Chestnut colour, large head. Vinous aroma, claret, caramel, spices. Malty aroma where the sweetness is well balanced with decent hops. Elements of caramel, liquorice, dark chocolates and some spices. Nice warming mouthfeel. Definitely a beer I’ll buy again when I can find it.

Aroma: 5 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 7

(330 ml capped bottle, bought at Borough Market, London.) Pours with a collossal head, beer is clear reddish brown but with an enormous amount of lumpy yeast floaties which are not dissolved in the beer when pouring, thus making the beer in the glass look rather unappetizing - you may actually feel the lumps when drinking. I normally prefer to pour the yeast in with most bottle conditioned beers (enhances the flavour IMO), even when the brewers tell me not to - but in this case it is definitely not to be recommended! Aroma is initially surprisingly mild and one-dimensional malty sweet, improves as the beer warms up - vinous notes with some toffee and oak appear. Flavour is caramelly, oaky and spicy, with a nice alcoholic warmth. Decent enough, if disregarding the lumps.

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

250 ml Scaldis Noël bottle, bought at Borough Market, London. Pours with an an enormous lingering head, beer is clear, colour is deep reddish amber. Aroma of dark rum, sherry, oak, raisins, spices. Flavour is very sweet with dried fruits and whisky elements, but a distinct spiciness and decent hops prevent it from falling in the "cloying sweet & undrinkable" ditch. Alcoholic warmth in the mouthfeel, as expected from a 12% ABV beer, but not overwhelming or unpleasant. A very fine Christmas special in my book.

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

330ml bottle, bought at Borough Market, London. Pours with a large light tan head, colour is brown, slightly hazy. Excellent aroma: Oak, sandalwood, camphor, caramel, toffee, spices. Flavour has caramel, spices, oak - but is not quite as complex as I hoped. Still very good - it’s a Trappist! Moderate but decent hops + spices in the finish.

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

250 ml bottle, bought at Borough Market, London. Beautiful dark ruby colour, very good thick head. Moderate barnyard aroma on a background of red wine vinegar, honey and raisins. Flavour is not nearly as sour as the other two Flemish Sour Ales I’ve had - more sweet than sour, actually. Too sweet for me - elements of syrup, caramel, honey, balsamico vinegar, blackcurrants and blackberries. A craft beer, no doubt - but definitely not a favourite of mine this one.

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

(750 ml "champagne" bottle, vintage 1997-98). Pours with an enormous lasting head. Cloudy golden colour. Lovely aroma of sour fruits, notes of spices and horse stable. Flavour is fruity, sour but not vinegar, a little tart. Quite dry. Reminds me of a brut champagne. Moreish aftertaste. Yummy!

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

33 cl capped bottle simply called "Saison Dupont" (bought in Norway), "Vieille Provision" is apparently used only for the corked bottle, otherwise it must be the same beer. Hazy golden beer with a large head. Lovely farmhouse aroma with spices and tobacco. Spicy and "authentic" farmbrew flavour, which unfortunately soon is overpowered by a strange medicinal bitterness on the the back of my tongue - I’m not sure how much of this bitterness comes from the hops and how much comes from dead yeast cells. This bitterness dominates the long aftertaste.

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.