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.

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 5 | Mouthfeel: 5 | Flavor: 4 | Overall: 4

Sampled 330 ml bottle, under its Spanish import alias "666 La Bière de la Diablesse". Cloudy golden colour, large head. Aroma and flavour VERY alcoholic and slightly yeasty. Not good. Travelling from Spain to Norway in the hot trunk of a car probably didn't help.

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

330 ml stubby bottle, kindly shared by gunnar. ABV is 7%. Cloudy dark brown colour, moderate beige head. Moderate aroma of brown malts, a little caramel and mild spices. The flavour has distinct notes of brown malts, caramel and brown kandij sugar, also mild spices. Moderate hops. Warming mouthfeel, very drinkable.

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

330 ml bottle, from Carrefour, Cartagena (Spain). ABV is 6.8%. Dark brown colour, decent off-white head. Nice aroma of brown malts and brown kandij sugar and caramel, also spicy notes of Belgian ale yeast. High level of carbonation in the mouth. Moderately malty and spicy flavour, notes of brown bread and brown kandij sugar, but not very sweet. Nice enough.

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

Shared bottle at RBNAG 2011 in Oslo. Golden-brown colour. Spicy and "typically Belgian" aroma. Pleasant and moderately spicy flavour, not too sweet, again "typically Belgian". A decent trappist, but not of the trailblazing kind.

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

Like all beers from this brewery, it comes in a very stylish bottle. The content of the bottle is not equally impressive. Sample at Copenhagen Beer Festival, from a new bottle. The guy in the bar rolled the bottle vigorously, to get the maximum flavour out of the sediment. I’m not sure that this was such a good idea. Murky brown appearance, low head. Moderate aroma and flavour of "dusty" malts and a little hops, hints of a slight ashy roastiness. Not undrinkable, but very boring - and not something I will buy again.

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

330 ml bottle, from Voldby Købmandsgård, Denmark. ABV is 8%. Brown colour, large off-white head. Strong sweetish malty aroma, notes of caramel and brown kandij sugar, hints of dark fruits and chocolate. The flavour is also malty with notes of caramel - sweet, but not too much. Also notes of brown kandij sugar, and a very moderate spiciness in the finish. Very moderate hops. Smooth and pleasant to drink.

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

Bottle, kindly shared by gunnar. Brown colour, big off-white head. Aroma of Belgian ale yeast, brown sugar and spices, hints of camphorwood. The flavour has more fruity acidity than I expect from a dubbel, some spicy and woody notes too.

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

500 ml bottle, from Voldby Købmandsgård. ABV is 6.8%. Brown colour, huge off-white head. Malty aroma with notes of brown bread, caramel and slightly stale strawberry jam. Fairly light bodied for its strength. Moderately malty flavour, notes of brown bread and caramel. Not much of a hoppy bite, but definitely drinkable. As far as dubbels go, there are many "real" Belgian specimens that are better, though.

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

500 ml bottle, bought at Voldby Købmandsgård. ABV is 6.0%. Amber to copper colour, large off-white head. Nice fruity aroma (dark fruits/berries), also notes of caramel, brown kandij sugar and mild spices. Sweet and malty flavour with plenty of caramel and brown kandij sugar, also mild spicy notes. The bitterness is moderate, so the wormwood must have been use sparingly. Nice enough to drink.

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

330 ml stubby bottle, as Waterloo Double 8 Dark, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 8.5%. Deep brown colour, huge and lasting beige head. Pleasant aroma of dark ripe fruits, spices, brown kandi sugar and caramel. Malty flavour with notes of brown kandi sugar and caramel, also notes of spices and dark dried fruits. Moderate hops.

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

500 ml bottle, from SuperBest Skødstrup. ABV is 6.8%. Amber to brown colour, fairly pale for a dubbel, moderate off-white head. Spicy and malty sweetish (bordering on sickly) aroma, also notes of caramel and chocolate. The flavour is very sweet, sugary and malty with loads of caramel, hardly any bitterness. Some spicy notes, incl. anise. Unbalanced, too far out on the sweet side, lacks hops and a "fresh" character.

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

500 ml bottle, from Dagli’brugsen Skødstrup. ABV is 6.5%. Deep reddish brown colour, huge orangey-beige head of good retention. Very nice aroma of spices, Belgian ale yeast, caramel malts and brown kandij sugar. The flavour is moderately malty, not too sweet, with spicy notes, also notes of dark dried fruits and caramel, hints of oak. The mouthfeel could have been fuller, but this is still a remarkably drinkable beer.

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

330 ml stubby bottle, as Bocq Gauloise Brune, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 8.1%. Deep reddish brown colour, big beige head. Strong sweetish aroma of caramel malts and brown sugar, notes of spices and dark dried fruits too. Fairly rich flavour, malty with spicy notes, also notes of brown kandi sugar and caramel, but the beer is not too sweet. Also notes of dark dried fruits. Quite enjoyable.

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

May 2019: 330 ml bottle, at Cafe Chic Oldschool, Hjørring. Served in Rochefort glass. Nearly red colour, moderate off-white head. Aroma of ripe yellow fruits, some spicy yeast. Malty, spicy and fruity flavour, moderate hops. Good beer.

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

On tap, as Capucijn Dubbel, at Cardinal, Stavanger. Brown colour, white (or slightly off-white) head. Pleasant malty aroma and flavour of caramel, brown kandij sugar syrup and dark dried fruits. Low bitterness, smooth mouthfeel.

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

1 pt. 9.4 fl. oz. bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 8.0%. Ale brewed with raisins. Reddish brown colour, big to moderate off-white head. Fairly strong aroma of Belgian ale yeast, brown candi sugar and raisins, hints of oak and old sherry. The flavour has notes of spices, malts, candi sugar and raisins, but is not very sweet. Moderate hops in the finish. Dangerously drinkable for its strength!

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

750 ml corked and wired bottle, bought at Systembolaget, Sweden. ABV is 8%. Deep brown colour, big and lasting cream-coloured head. Nice aroma of malts, caramel, brown sugar, mild spices and Belgian ale yeast. The flavour is malty with notes of toast and brown candi sugar, the finish is mildly spicy.

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

330 ml bottle, now available in Norway at Vinmonopolet. ABV is 8%. Mahogany coloured beer, huge beige head. Moderate aroma, notes of caramel, brown malts, brown bread and dust, hints of marzipan. The flavour has notes of brown bread with hints of caramel, but this is probably the driest dubbel I have ever had. Dust in the finish, very moderate hops. The alcohol is well hidden - I would have guessed that this was a 5.5- 6% beer, not 8%. Definitely drinkable, but far from exciting.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 4 | Mouthfeel: 5 | Flavor: 5 | Overall: 5

330 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 6.3%. Very dark brown colour, big beige head. The aroma has some unpleasant notes of stale chocolate and stale berries, also notes of anise. The flavour is moderately sweet and slightly fruity with notes of anise and malts. The anise seems entirely misplaced in a dubbel. This is not a beer for me.

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

330 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. Also available in Norway at Vinmonopolet. ABV is 5.0%. This is an organic beer. Milky / murky pale yellow to brown colour, moderate head that does not last forever. Typical witbier aroma, notes of spices (coriander and cloves) and orange peel. Fizzy mouthfeel (too fizzy for me). The flavour has again coriander and cloves, moderate notes of orange peel. Very moderate hops. Not the best witbier I’ve had.

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

330 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal pub, Stavanger. The beer is quite clear reddish brown when poured, a slight haziness may occur if the sediment is disturbed in the end, decent head. LOVELY aroma with intense fruity an vinous notes, spices are very much present too. The flavour is also fruity and spicy but not very powerful, hints of caramel. Moderate sweetness, moderate bitterness. A slightly salty finish. Light bodied, the ABV is well hidden. Easy drinking. The aftertaste is not remarkable.

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

330 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal pub, Stavanger. Named "Corsendonk Pater - Dubbel". ABV is 7.5%. Bottle conditioned. Deep brown colour, large beige head. Pleasant aroma of dark fruits, caramel, candy sugar, spices and oak, a hint of smoke. Pleasant flavour of oak and malts, some candy sugar and caramel but not too sweet, moderate hops. Nice.

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

Sampled bottle, RBNAG 2007 in Grimstad. Hazy brown colour. Oaky aroma. Oaky and moderately sweet flavour, quite nice. I hardly think Ølfabrikken can make a bad beer!

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

330 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 6.5%. Dark brown colour, huge tan head. Nice aroma - some fruit, notes of malts, caramel and bakery, hints of spices. The flavour is malty sweet with plenty of caramel, also raisins (a certain fruitiness) and chocolate. Some hops in the finish. A good beer, but slightly too much on the sweet side.