Tasting Notes: Brewdog: Mikkeller: Devine Rebel Mortlach Reserve 2008

Brewdog: Mikkeller: Devine Rebel Mortlach Reserve 2008 (Scotland: Barley Wine: 12.5% ABV)

Visual: Fruitcake to black cherry coloured with a bubbling beige head.

Nose: Cherries, fruitcake, smoke and brandy.  Bitter chocolate, roasted nuts. Figgy pudding. Gin alcohol styling, quite bready as well. Sultanas. Almonds, or possibly a hint of marzipan. Shortbread.

Body:  Silk smooth but very strong. Fruitcake.  Dried apricots. Treacle and cherries. Blueberry crumble. Slight rock salt back and smoke. Port, raisins and toffee round it off.

Finish: Treacle. Dry mouth and slightly bitter. Light charring and cherries mix. Milk chocolate, and a white wine alcohol air.

Conclusion: So we come to this, after the harsh beast of 2010, and the more subtle 2009 original, we find the reserve edition of Devine Rebel.  This edition takes the style and smoothes it out, allowing the massive fruit flavours to jump out and surprise you

Fruity with whisky smoke just playing around the edges. It’s a beast, but now a controlled beast, tugging at the reigns as it wishes to break free. Definitely keeps the journey exciting. New flavours make themselves known with every sip.

Frankly the best incarnation to date of this devine (sic) beast. The fruit is huge, the alcohol obvious but not burning, and the whisky styling enwrapping an amazingly complicated core.

If this is the devine, I would become a happy studier of its theology.

Background: Bottle 80 of 1000 made. This whisky aged collaboration beer has had several releases before, two of which I’ve tried and found enjoyable if slightly harsh in the case of the 2010 release. The Mortlach Distillery of whisky is one that I’ve yet to try the products of so cannot compare to the spirit. I will openly admit I am not 100% unbiased on Brewdog beers, but do aim for it when it comes to tasting notes.