Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 4 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

12.7 Oz. corked and wired bottle, as The Lost Abbey Angel’s Share, 2009 vintage, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 11.5%. Nearly black colour, low tan head. Strong sweetish fusel aroma bordering on "sickly", strong oaky notes. Moderate carbonation in the glass. Intense sweet and malty flavour with strong notes of oak, dark dried fruits and old sherry, partly balanced by noticeable hops in the finish. Oaky aftertaste.

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

375 ml capped and waxed green bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 10%. Malts are pale, vienna and cara-red, Zeus hops. Cloudy dark brown colour, big beige head. Strong sweetish aroma of oak, caramel malts and brandy, vinous notes. Rich mouthfeel. The flavour is oaky, malty and vinous, but not too sweet. Moderate but noticeable hops and chocolate in the finish. A jolly good beer!

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

330 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 32%. Sold as "spirits / hard liquor" ( 4 cl shots) in Norway. Very dark reddish brown colour, nearly black. No head nor carbonation. Strong aroma of fusel alcohols, oaky and roasty notes, hints of smoke. Intense flavour of smoke, tar and salt. Moderately bitter finish. To be honest, this was not very good.

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

330 ml green bottle, courtesy of Cardinal pub, Stavanger. Intended to be 12% ABV - the brewery had printed labels and all, but the beer stopped at 7.5%! The brewery had to make additional stickers with the new ABV. Very dark reddish brown colour, nearly black. Nice and creamy tan head. Sweetish malty aroma with notes of coffee, leather, liquorice and oak. Very sweet flavour, bordering on "cloying". Roast malts, coffee, oak, liquorice. Some more hops in the finish would have been nice. It will be interesting to see if the brewery can brew a better fermented beer next year, and achieve their 12%.

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

Sampled bottle, RBNAG 2007 in Grimstad, as Stoudt’s Old Abominable Barley Wine Ale, aged in a whiskey barrel. Hazy brown colour. Sweetish, malty and oaky aroma. Sweet, oaky and malty flavour, maybe too sweet.

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

500 ml bottle, bought in Scarborough. Bottle conditioned. ABV is 8.4%. Deep golden colour, huge head. Lovely aroma of hops, orange and oak. The flavour is hoppy and fairly sweet, notes of bitter oranges and spices, the alcohol is noticeable. Bitter finish and aftertaste. Must be a great accompaniment with mature cheeses. Nearly too powerful on its own.

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

Bottle, at RBESG 2007 in Glasgow, Grand Tasting. ABV was 10%. Hazy dark brown colour. Oaky and vinous aroma. Warming mouthfeel. The flavour is sweet and alcoholic, but also malty and vinous.

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

Bottle, at RBESG 2007 in Glasgow, Grand Tasting. ABV is 9%. Deep reddish brown to ruby colour. Very oaky and malty aroma and flavour, with plenty of caramel.

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

Bottle, RBESG 2007 in Glasgow, Grand Tasting. Hazy brown colour. Very nice aroma, fruits, farmhouse, hints of oak. Malty and VERY sweet flavour, warming mouthfeel, alcoholic.

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

Bottle, at RBESG 2007 in Glasgow, Grand Tasting. Hazy golden brown colour, large off-white head. Nice oaky aroma, some fruity hops too. Malty flavour with fruity hops, the high ABV is noticeable but not too dominant.

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 4 | Flavor: 4 | Overall: 4

Dec. 2019: Shared bottle at local tasting, 12%. Ruby colour, off-white head. Sweetish aroma, notes of molasses and oak. Very sweet and alcoholic flavour, not my cup of tea.

Aroma: 10 | Appearance: 5 | Mouthfeel: 3 | Flavor: 2 | Overall: 3

Sampled 1902 vintage from lead(!)-sealed and corked bottle, at RBESG 2006 in Göteborg. The smell was simply lovely, very complex and enticing. Unfortunately the flavour had turned into vinegar, and I could not finish my small ration. But I kept the cork, and enjoyed the smell of it for months!

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

Shared 330 ml paper-covered bottle, vintage 2020, at Cardinal, Stavanger. ABV is 11.8%. Golden brown colour. Aroma and flavour of molasses and dark dried fruits, low bitterness. Warming mouthfeel, smooth to drink.

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

Oct. 2013: 330 ml bottle, vintage 2008, from Voldby Købmandsgaard. ABV is 12.7%. Cloudy dark brown colour, large beige head. Sweetish malty aroma, notes of oak, alcohol and caramel. Warming mouthfeel. Malty flavour, oak and caramel again, but not too sweet for a barleywine. Also notes of dark dried fruits. Oaky and hoppy finish.

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

Shared bottle at Bryne tasting. Dark reddish brown colour. Pleasant aroma of bourbon, oak, vanilla and raisins / sultanas. Excellent flavour with the same elements, also notes of various dark dried fruits and brown sugar.

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

330 ml bottle, at the brewpub. ABV is 8.5%. Brewed with locally produced malts, named after the farmer. Moderately hazy brown colour, moderate off-white head. Aroma of malts and caramel. Smooth mouthfeel. Pleasant flavour of malts and caramel, well balanced. Moderate hops.

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

330 ml can, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. ABV is 11%. Mahogany colour, large to moderate orange-ish off-white to beige head. Aroma of malts, caramel and roasted pistachio nuts. Sweet flavour with the same elements, low bitterness.

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 9 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

250 ml bottle with a goldfoil neck, No. 00816, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. ABV is 13.1%. Dark amber colour, small off-white head. Aroma of malts, molasses, stale jam and oak, disappointing. Warming mouthfeel. The flavour is better than the aroma, not too sweet, with distinct notes of French oak, caramel and dark dried fruits.

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 5 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 9

Feb. 2020: 250 ml bottle, from Bestofbeers, Denmark. ABV is 12.7%. Dark brown colour, minimal carbonation, thin and shortlived beige head. Aroma of malts, molasses, oak, raisins and cognac. Rich flavour, fairly sweet, distinct notes of oak, raisins and cognac. Smooth to drink, warming mouth- and throatfeel.

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

Feb. 2020: 330 ml bottle, as Thomas Hardy's Ale Golden Edition 50th Anniversary, Vintage 2018, bottle No. 01037, from Bestofbeers, Denmark. ABV is 13%. Hazy reddish brown colour, minimal and shortlived of-white to beige head. Low carbonation. Aroma of malts, molasses, tobacco, oak and caramel, hints of dark dried fruits. Moderately sweet flavour with the same elements, distinct oak and tobacco, moderate hops. Warming mouthfeel.

Aroma: 5 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

330 ml bottle No 04066, vintage 2022, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. ABV is 13%. Amber to cognac colour, small off-white head. Aroma of malts, dust, damp basement, hints of molasses and fusel, not good. Smooth mouthfeel and flavour (better than the aroma), notes of malts, caramel, oak, raisins, old sherry.

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

375 ml bottle, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. ABV is 12%. Pitch black colour, large to moderate brown head. Boozy aroma of bourbon, oak and vanilla, hints of honey and spices. Rich mouthfeel. Smooth and medium sweet flavour, the same elements as the aroma, also lightly roasted malts, dark chocolate and fairly distinct bittering hops. Good beer, but not as good as the regular Bracia.

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

500 ml corked and waxed bottle in cardboard cylinder, Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 12.0%. Hazy very dark reddish brown colour, hardly any head, nor any carbonation in my bottle. I think there was somewhat more carbonation in the bottles opened at the Teo Musso / Cardinal tasting. Strong aroma of oak / red wine barrel and raisins, hints of fusel alcohols that are softened after a while in the glass. In the mouth the beer is completely flat / lifeless. Oaky flavour / dominant red wine barrel, medium sweet. Moderate hops. Will rerate if I get a new bottle with carbonation.

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

Shared 500 ml bottle, vintage 2014, at Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 14%. Dark brown colour, no head, low carbonation. Intense oaky aroma, notes of molasses too. Extremely sweet and rich flavour, notes of oak, vanilla, caramel, raisins and dark dried fruits.

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

330 ml can, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. ABV is 10.1%. Slightly hazy reddish brown colour, small beige head. Intense aroma of peated Islay whisky, malts, seaweed and iodine. Sweet flavour with the same elements as the aroma, very moderate hops. Too much peat smoke for me.