Batch 6. Bottle # 21421 out of 101325. 390 Barrels. Packaged in a box with an open face and comes with a small, highball type glass (pictured).

If you’ve ever read any of my notes regarding barrel aged Belgians of any descriptions, you know I just don’t see the point and I never believe that the base beer is improved or enhanced. You’ll also know that I’ll try anything once. So here we are.

The rum barrel has imparted a light copper colored to the otherwise golden Duvel.

Nose offers some light, brown sugar solvent and not much more.

The first sips gave a phenolic band-aid that I didn’t care for, but this quickly gave way to something that seemed more in line with what i was expecting. Some caramel and vanilla on top of the base beer. I don’t know that I would be able to identify the barrel as specifically rum, but the liquor note is obvious. Alcohol seems well hidden, not too much solvent in the tastes.

Pretty smooth, decently drinkable and a drying note around the edges and the finish that make it a bit different. Plenty of sweetness but it’s well-balanced.

I suppose I would say that I don’t dislike it per se, but there’s absolutely no way on Earth I would buy it again, nor would I choose it over Duvel, nor see the point in doing this. I just shrug every time that I pick one of these barrel aged beers up. I will continue to do so though, since it puts me in a position of experience and knowledge.