Bières de Chimay S.A. Chimay Grande Réserve (Blue) (2015) Belgian Strong Dark Ale at 9% ABV (C$6.99 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 330 ml, best before 31-Dec-2020, acquired 19-Jul-2016, reviewed 27-Aug-2019)
Appearance: clear ruby brown with one fat finger of fluffy ivory head, good retention and spotty lacing. (4/5) Aroma: bready yeast, cherries, raisins, cloves. (8/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate-lively carbonation, sweetish medium duration warming finish. (4/5)
Another attempt at extended cellaring on Chimay varietals: this time, I’m directly comparing this one at four years’ cellaring, to the subsequent year’s vintage at three years’ cellaring. Much like the Première (Red), it seems pretty clear to me that these are already aged sufficiently when bottled, and there’s little or no benefit to be gained by further ageing. (Don’t mind the moldy label – it got wet when another bottle broke during transport, and clearly I didn’t clean it completely before cellaring it. Adds character, don’t you think?) (16/20)
8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com
