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

375 ml bottle, kindly shared by my beer pal Olav, who bought it at Nørrebro Bryghus. Dark reddish brown colour, low head. Distinct aroma of oak and brandy, notes of raisins. The flavour is distinctly oaky, notes of brandy and rum-raisin. Good stuff!

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

375 ml corked and capped green bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 5%. Clear red colour, big pink head. Intense aroma of ripe and sour raspberries. The flavour is very sour and tart, again with notes of sour raspberries. Good stuff, but requires that you like fruit lambics in the first place.

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

330 ml bottle, unfiltered and unpasteurised, at Universitetsbaren, Aarhus. ABV was 7.6%. Served in a Hoegaarden Grand Cru glass. Black colour, big to moderate brown head. The aroma is first fairly fruity for an impy stout, notes of prunes. Also roasty with notes of coffee, dark chocolate and liquorice, hints of tar and smoke. The flavour is roasty with notes of coffee and liquorice. Tar and smoke in the finish. Distinct bitterness, but not extreme for an impy stout. Smoke, coffee and bitter hops in the long aftertaste.

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

180 ml waxed bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. Also sampled at Olympen, Oslo. ABV is 11%. Bitterness 92,9 EBU. Pitch black colour, no head, hardly any carbonation. Lovely vinous and roasty aroma, dark dried fruits, oak. Roasty flavour with oaky and vinous notes, distinct hoppy bitterness in the finish. Good stuff!

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

275 ml nip bottle, vintage 2009, thanks to my beerpal Olav who brought it home from the Orkneys. ABV is 9.0%. Black colour, dark brown in the highlights, big to moderate tan head, some lacing. Lovely aroma of dark malts, molasses, oak and dark dried fruits, hints of old sherry. The flavour has roasty coffee notes, also notes of malts and molasses (medium sweetness) and liquorice, with a hoppy and roasty bitterness in the finish. Solid stuff.

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

330 ml bottle, as De Dolle Special Extra Export Stout, kindly shared by my beerpal Jan Magnus. ABV is 9%. Pitch black colour, big tan head. First a fairly moderate but very nice roasty aroma (gets even better as the beer warms up a little) with some vinous notes, hints of dark dried fruits and leather. The flavour is also vinous, oaky and roasty, hints of raisins, coffee and liquorice. Overall brilliant.

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

Shared bottle at RBNAG 2011 in Oslo. Very dark brown colour, nearly black. Excellent aroma and flavour, roasty but refined, dry. Hints of coffee and spices, but the spices do not dominate. "Beer of the tasting" for me.

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

500 ml bottle, Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 7.4%. Mahogany coloured beer, huge and lasting beige head. Lovely aroma of medium dark malts, bakery (esp. fresh brown bread) and caramel, hints of oak and dark dried fruits. Rich mouthfeel. Distinctly malty and rich flavour, sweet but not too much. Caramel and brown bread baked with syrup, dark dried fruits, moderate hops. Well balanced and truly enjoyable.

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

500 ml bottle, Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 7.3%. Hazy deep golden colour, large white head. Wonderful aroma of tropical fruits, crushed white grapes, citrus and crushed gooseberries. The flavour is a burst of fruity New Zealand hops, also with resinous notes, on a medium sweet malty base. Bitter finish, long and very bitter aftertaste, but not too extreme. Excellent beer!

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

On tap at Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. Amber colour, moderate head, slightly off-white. Lovely aroma of fruity and resinous American hops, malts in the background. Excellent and well balanced flavour, distinct American hops throughout, but not too extreme. There is a sufficient malty backbone to support the hops. Not too sweet. Jolly good!

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

Shared 750 ml bottle at local tasting, many thanks to gunnar. ABV is 5.6%. Red colour, slightly peachy head. Lovely vinous aroma and flavour, notes of red wine vinegar and berries, marzipan and cherries. Very complex and enjoyable.

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

Shared 330 ml bottle at local tasting, as Thornbridge Eldon Bourbon Oak Imperial Stout, from Ales by Mail. ABV 8.0%. Black colour, beige head. Moderate aroma of bourbon, hints of vanilla and chocolate. Smooth and well rounded flavour, with bourbon, vanilla, chocolate and mild coffee. Excellent beer.

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

650 ml bottle, Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is10.0%. Black colour, large tan head. Pleasant aroma of roast malts, oats, chocolate and mild coffee, hints of fruity hops. Roasty flavour, notes of roasted barley, strong coffee, dark bitter chocolate, liquorice, hints of fruity hops, moderate bittering hops.

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

500 ml bottle, batch #913. ABV is 10,0%. Pitch black colour, large brown head. Aroma of roast malts, strong coffee and leather, hints of dark chocolate, liquorice and caramel. Rich flavour, not too sweet, not too dry - distinct notes of roasted barley / strong coffee, liquorice, dark bitter chocolate and some caramel, also bittering hops. Powerful stuff.

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

341 ml bottle, from Vinmonopolet. ABV is 9%. Pitch black colour, moderate brown head. Aroma of roast malts, coffee and caramel, also some vinous notes. The flavour has a well balanced sweetness, notes of roast malts, coffee and dark bitter chocolate, a hint of caramel, also distinct bittering hops. Smooth and pleasant to drink. Excellent beer.

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

25 cl bottle, under its alias "Scaldis" Caractère, bought at Selfridge’s, London. Amber colour, large and fluffy lingering head. Vinous dry sherry-like aroma, elements of oak and leather too. Flavour is again sherry-like, medium dry (or medium sweet, if you like), loads and loads of oak, hints of German "Weinbrand", warming mouthfeel as expected from a 12% ABV beer, but the beer doesn’t feel inappropriately alcoholic. A substantial hoppy bitterness in the finish balances the sweetness nicely. Plays in the Premier League of beers, this one.

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

330 ml bottle, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. ABV is 10%. Dark brown colour, large beige head. Aroma of malts, brown kandij sugar, dark dried fruits incl. raisins, oak, hints of mild spices. Medium sweet flavour with the same elements as the aroma, very distinct kandij sugar. Very moderate hops.

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

Can from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. ABV is 6.5%. Cloudy / opaque brownish-yellow to orange colour, moderate white head. Distinct aroma of mango, passionfruit, lychee and other tropical fruits. Good mouthfeel. The flavour is fruity but not too sweet, with the same elements as the aroma. Some citrus too, hints of sprucetips, but the bitterness is low.

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

Bottled 2004, 500 ml swingtop bottle (Thanks, JensenTaster!). ABV was 8.3%. Murky dark brown colour, very good & lingering tan head. Lovely aroma of dark malts, dark chocolate, Christmas spices, caramel and candy sugar, hints of cherries. Flavour is very rich & malty with some alcoholic warmth, spices and dark chocolate are present. Plenty of hops (maybe a tad too much?? - or maybe not) in the finish balances the sweetness nicely. This is good. This is very good. Maybe not quite as exquisite flavour as Nøgne Ø God Jul (at least it’s a bit different) - but very, very good.

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

Sampled bottle, at Plan B, Copenhagen. Beautiful red colour, pink head. Delightful cherry aroma. Sour cherry flavour on a funky background. A very good kriek.

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

Bottle conditioned, 500 ml. Very dark colour, nearly black. Large brown head. Delightful aroma of roasted malts, dark chocolate, coffee, prunes, caramel and oak. Flavour is not quite as complex but still good, bitter roasty and coffee notes combined with bittering hops dominate, on a background of dark bitter sweet chocolate, hints of English liquorice. Roasty bitter aftertaste. I’d say Imperial Stout is the closest style here - but maybe it’s not extreme enough. Anyway, this is a very fine effort from Haandbryggeriet. Not a beer for the traditional Scandinavian Christmas dinner, but try it if you have chocolate pudding for dessert - or simply enjoy it on its own!

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

500 ml bottle, courtesy of "Venner av Nøgne Ø". Like all NØ beers bottle conditioned. Pitch black colour, impenetrable for light. Large and thick brown head. Lovely aroma with vinous qualities, also notes of Colombian coffee, liquorice, chocolate and dark dried fruits. Flavour is dominated by strong notes of bitter coffee, mixed with a substantial malty sweetness, hints of molasses. Also some acidic notes, I’m not sure if they are wanted or not. Strong "coffee" bitterness in the long aftertaste.

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

330 ml bottle, bought at Mahlers Vinhandel, Frederikshavn, Denmark. Unfiltered. Nearly black colour, large and creamy tan head. Lovely aroma of juniper berries first and foremost, roast malts and dark chocolate in the background. Flavour of roast malts, coffee and dark chocolate, maybe some liquorice too, the juniper berries are around but are not dominant. Moderately sweet, some faint acidic notes in the finish. Fairly bitter aftertaste, both from the roastiness and the hops. An excellent stout in my book, with an unusual but successful addition of juniper berries.

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

Sampled RBESG 2006, bottle. Dark reddish brown colour, nearly black. Very nice roasty aroma, notes of bakery, coffee, liquorice and dark chocolate. Nice roasty flavour with rye bread and coffee notes, hints of chocolate. A very good stout.

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

330 ml bottle, at Delirium Café, Göteborg. Cloudy golden colour, huge and lasting head. Spicy aroma with notes of leather and oak. Flavour is again spicy with yeasty notes, leather and oak, fairly dry. Very good.