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

Sample from 330 ml bottle at the Brewery International stand, Smak 09. ABV was 5.0%, according to the importer. Beautiful copper colour, moderate head. Fruity aroma and flavour (red berries), notes of caramel. Low bitterness.

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

Sampled bottle, RBNAG 2007 in Grimstad. ABV was 7.7%. Brewed with edible flowers. Golden colour. Unusual aroma of various flowers and herbs + honey and oak. Herbal and very sweet flavour with notes of tobacco. A bit "too special" for me.

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

750 ml capped bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. Brew #64, ABV is 6.0%. Golden colour, slightly hazy, enormous white head that lasts "forever" and makes the beer hard to drink. Strong and pleasant spicy and yeasty aroma. The crisp flavour has also distinct spicy and "Belgian" yeasty notes, with a substantial hoppy "bite" in the finish.

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

500 ml bottle, Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. Batch #671. ABV is 7.5%. Hazy brownish-golden colour, huge white head. Attractive fruity aroma, notes of citrus, gooseberries and tropical fruits, some piney hints too. The flavour is medium sweet and fruity, notes of saison yeast, distinct hops in the finish. Bitter, peppery and dry aftertaste.

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

500 ml bottle, Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 7%. Deep golden colour, large white head. Lovely aroma of Nelson Sauvin hops, with notes of gooseberries, white grapes and tropical fruits, also a hint of pine. The flavour is medium sweet and very fruity, Nelson Sauvin elements dominate, but the beer is not too bitter. The Belgian / French saison yeast is more subdued. A fine and very drinkable beer!

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

Shared 750(?) ml corked bottle at local tasting, vintage 2007, bought at Ølbutikken or Høkeren, Copenhagen, May 2011. Ale aged in oak barrels, ABV is 9.5%. Clear orange colour, moderate white head. Aroma of brettanomyces, sour fruits and apple cider vinegar. Medium sour flavour, brettanomyces galore, woody finish, decent hops. Interesting and unusual.

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

On tap at Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 6.3%. Golden colour, large white head. Lovely fruity and spicy aroma, notes of orange peel, coriander and pepper. The flavour is fresh and pleasant, with distinct citrussy and peppery notes, but I expected more bittering hops in the finish. Still a nice beer that stands out from the crowd. I don’t think the red peppercorns are too dominant.

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

600 ml bottle, from Gulating Ølutsalg, Stavanger. ABV is 4.5%. Very pale yellow colour, large white head. Pleasant and distinct aroma of spicy / peppery saison yeast. The medium dry flavour has also plenty of peppery saison yeast and bittering hops, but little body to support it. Nice to drink though.

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

750 ml corked & caged bottle, BB date 07.2013, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. ABV is 8.5%. Slightly hazy golden colour, large white head. Lovely aroma of farmhouse kitchen and dry white wine, also hints of tropical fruits. The flavour is medium sweet, maybe not quite as fresh as it ought to be, but still very good. Fruity / citrussy and mildly spicy notes. Enjoyable, will buy again, and sample when fresher.

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

Rerate, 750 ml bottle, Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 6%, vintage 2016. Cloudy golden colour, large white head. Fresh aroma of lemons and brettanomyces. Lemony sour flavour, also "spicy" brettanomyces notes. I'm upping it a point or two. Original rating: Sample from bottle at Edle Dråper-messen, Stavanger. Pale straw colour, hazy. Lemony aroma and flavour, more sour than any other saison I’ve had. Refreshing? Oh yes. A masterpiece? Hardly ... Worth spending a fair amount of money to buy a 750 ml bottle? It’s up to you, but I doubt I will.

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

375 ml bottle, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. ABV is 6%. Slightly hazy pale golden colour, large white head. Fresh, fruity and spicy aroma of saison yeast, some herbal hops. High level of carbonation. The flavour has spicy saison yeast and herbal hops.

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

375 ml bottle, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. ABV is 5%. Very pale straw colour, slightly hazy. Huge white head. Moderate but pleasant aroma of spicy saison yeast and some fruit. The flavour is spicy / yeasty and citrussy, mid between dry and sweet. Moderate hops. Fairly refreshing.

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

341 ml bottle, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. ABV is 9.5%. Black colour, large tan head. Very nice roasty and spicy aroma. High level of carbonation. Roasty and spicy flavour too, notes of coffee, dark chocolate and black pepper, distinct bittering hops. Excellent beer.

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

500 ml bottle, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. ABV is 7%. Pale golden colour, huge white head. Spicy, yeasty and somewhat soapy aroma. Dry and yeasty flavour, with mild spicy notes. Moderate hops. Not bad, but a bit too yeasty for my taste.

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

375 ml bottle, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. ABV is 5%. Golden colour, huge white head. Aroma of spicy saison yeast, lactic acid, farmhouse, honey and herbal hops, a hint of lemon. Spicy and slightly sour flavour with a hint of lemon, a hint of honey but not really sweet, moderate herbal hops.

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

355 ml can, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. ABV is 7.3%. Slightly hazy pale golden colour, moderate white head. Moderate aroma of spicy saison yeast, some dust. The flavour has plenty of spicy saison yeast, slightly dry, some fruit. Moderate bittering hops.

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

750 ml bottle at Øl & Mat-festivalen, Oslo. ABV is 8.5%. The beer starts pouring out of the bottle by itself. Cloudy amber colour, moderate white head. Nice aroma of Belgian ale yeast, fruity and spicy notes. Fruity, spicy and yeasty flavour, quite nice. Very moderate hops.

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

750 ml bottle, blend 3, courtesy of Cardinal Pub 6 Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 6.8%. Pink colour, large pinkish off-white head. Strong aroma of oxidised cider apples, red wine vinegar, farmhouse kitchen, oak and flowers. Moderately sour flavour with fruity notes (rose hips). Peppery and hoppy dry finish. Quite interesting, but not my favourite beer.

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

355 ml bottle, from Ølkonsortiet, Aalborg. ABV is 6%. Dark brown colour, nearly black. Huge and lasting beige head. Pleasant "Belgian" ale aroma with spicy / peppery and fruity notes. Hints of coriander, banana, citrus and cloves. The flavour is citrussy, possibly a bit more sour than intended? (slight infection??), moderately spicy / peppery, just a hint of dark malts and coffee. Okay, but not as great as I hoped. Won’t buy again.

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

Shared 330 ml bottle, from the brewery. ABV is 7%. Cloudy (end of bottle) golden colour, moderate white head. Lovely aroma of Belgian saison yeast, distinct spicy and fruity notes. High level of carbonation in the mouth. Very nice and spicy "Belgian" flavour, also some fruity notes.

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

Shared 750 ml bottle, at Håndverkerstuene, Oslo. ABV 6.8%. Hazy deep golden colour, moderate white head. Strong spicy aroma, also farmhouse notes, hints of oaked cider. Spicy and fruity flavour, some acidity but not unpleasant. Decent hops. A good and interesting beer.

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

Shared magnum bottle at RBNAG 2011, as Saison Dupont Cuvée Dry Hopping, vintage 2011. ABV 6.5%. Hazy straw colour, moderate white head. Grassy hops in the aroma. Decent hoppy bitterness in the flavour. Can’t really say that it’s so much better than the ordinary Saison Dupont - but might be able to tell the difference if I sampled them side by side?

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

Shared bottle at RBNAG 2011. Murky brown colour, large off-white head. Special aroma, notes of farmhouse, wood and ripe berries. The flavour has the same elements as the aroma.

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

Shared bottle at RBNAG 2011. Cloudy golden colour, large white head. Lovely aroma of lemons, lime and pomerans. The flavour has a citrussy sourness but is not extreme. Fairly dry and light bodied.

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

750 ml corked cottled, as North Coast Le Merle Saison (Belgian Style Farmhouse Ale), courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 7.9%. Slightly hazy golden colour, huge white head. Sweetish aroma of syrup, farmhouse yeast and rotting fruits / stale berries. High level of carbonation in the mouth. The flavour is better than the aroma, medium sweet and moderately spicy, decent hops in the finish. Quite nice to drink, should also go well with many foods.