The crown rests heavy

Crown Royal Canadian Whiskey “Black” (Canada) – Mostly sugar, with minty wood and confectionary. (8/11)

Take me to the pilot

Lighthouse “Navigator” Doppelbock (British Columbia) – Dark, bitter, dark, spicy, dark, and dense. Very, very flavorful. And sorry, but I have to say it: this would be greatly improved with a little chill. The traditional ambient serving temperature does not suit this particular brew. (2/11)

Vidal information

Lakeview 2007 Vidal Icewine (Niagara Peninsula) – 200 ml. Powerfully sweet – I’m glad this bottle isn’t any bigger, frankly – with rhinestone minerality and some nice fruit skin/vegetal counterpoints. (5/10)

25

Unibroue “Quartre-Centième” (Québec) – Are these beers getting more boring by the year, or am I suffering from malty overstimulation? Should I blame corporate brewing? Is this an actual tasting note? No, probably not. (10/08)

Seigneur moment

Unibroue “Seigneuriale” (Québec) – Takes the heady, spicy, sweet-heavy Belgian style to 11, which isn’t a good thing in this case, as the necessary uptick in complexity and balance is not achieved. It’s just too much. (8/08)

N-ice wine

Mission Hill 2004 Riesling Icewine “Reserve” (Okanagan Valley) – Terrific. Intense and pure, with an explosion of molten steel and iron flakes in an incredibly concentrated ripe apple syrup, but with fine acidity providing lightness and breathing space. As ever with icewine, I don’t know that it will age, but it’s so good right now, why bother? (3/08)

Salt Lake City

Mission Hill 2003 “S.L.C.” Syrah (Okanagan Valley) – A bit difficult at first, but with air it blossoms, showing deep, firm, dark leather and a black stew of berries, smoky and mysterious, perhaps somewhat impenetrable. Structure and length are promising, and this seems like a keeper. (3/08)

One eyebrow

Unibroue “16” Ale (Québec) – All the elements are in place for this Belgian-inspired ale, but it’s just…I don’t know, it’s like a copy of a copy. I can’t put my finger on what’s missing, but something definitely is. (1/08)