Traquair House Ale

The Brewers:
Company: Traquair House Brewery
Location: Traquair House, Innerleithen, Peeblesshire EH44 6PW, Scotland
Website: http://www.traquair.co.uk/

The Beer:
Style: Scottish ale
ABV: 7.2%
Brewed with:  Still fermented in the original oak barrels of the Traquair House
Served:  500mL bottle purchased at Halftime of Poughkeepsie

The Drink:
Drank out of a 16 oz. British pub glass

Beer pours deep brown/copper with a thin tan head that dissipates quickly.  Leaves no lace.

Aromas of heavy caramel and maltiness with subtle oak notes.  Very much a "rum-raisin" type nose.    

Beer starts with moderate carbonation and full malty-sweet body.  As flavors develop, a sturdy caramel presence with a subtle oak flavor comes to the forefront of the palate.  The caramel hangs around for a little while before fading away into a characteristically oaky finish with a slight hop "bite."  The finish is remarkably long, though not dry the whole way through, as a mild caramel sweetness returns, accompanied by a subtle woody, almost smoky flavor.  After getting about halfway through this beer I'm beginning to notice a subtle fruity hue to the flavor, though I'm not sure what to call it.  This is probably dependent more on the individual drinker.  

Overall:
I usually steer clear of Scottish style ales because these beers are all about malty sweetness, but this beer was excellent.  Expertly balanced with enough malt backbone to give the good beer a hefty ABV and a good mouthfeel, and with the right amount of oak, fruit and hop presence to make this a very enjoyable beer.  The label was definitely spot on though: this is a winter warmer in every way.  Boiled in a copper kettle from 1738 and fermented in oak vessels, this beer hails from an estate that has been around since 1107, and it certainly tastes as rich and complex as the history of the brewery that made it.  If you get a chance, definitely pick this one up: you'd be hard pressed to find a better Scotch ale.