Postby Belgian » Sun Mar 11, 2018 10:55 pm
Just opened 3 bottles of Thomas Hardy's Ale, 2x the 2006 and 1x the 2008.
This ale does get more drinkable over time, as promised it is transforming the initial brashness and harshness that once did compete with the generous complex sweet-tangy fruit and toffee-bread-caramel richness. Both are really good! More drinkable that I thought also. But different beers as it turns out.
The 2008 is notably more rooty-spicy and puts the fruit forward. It appears to be hitting an approachable maturity much quicker than the older edition, making it quaff very comfortably like a superior Belgian Trappist Abt or similar.
The 2006 (which is a few % ABV stronger) is also so much different than when new, yet still remains a bit more challenging and probably the more distinctive of the two bottlings. Definite stronger personality, perhaps more of a Scotch drinker's TH. It offers a more firm woody, herbal dryness not nearly as present in the '08. The '06 will be the Hardy's Ale to keep cellaring for over another decade, if I can leave it be that long.
An exceptional experience.
In Beerum Veritas