The Troubadour Winter is now part of the Musketieres core seasonal range and is available through the northern hemisphere autumn and winter. Of course, we have the opposite seasons, so we sit on these beers for a while waiting to bring them out.
The beer pours a dark reddish brown colour, slightly hazy with an aroma of dark malt and lots of spices. Those dark specialty malts give the beer a nice caramel malt backbone, with a little dried dark fruit sweetness that is offered early on.
Then the spices kick in, and while there is no mistaking them in this beer, they are by no means overpowering or confronting. They are actually well balanced against the fruit and malt sweetness, with licorice at the forefront, backed up by flavours like clove, cinnamon, nutmeg, coriander and banana. There is a good bitterness to the finish, and just a pleasant warmth from the alcohol, hiding the ABV really well.
330ml bottle, 10.0% ABV