It’s hard to know if this is a different beer to this, but for now it exists as two separate entries. The reason it does is that I know for a fact that this bottle came directly from Belgium and was originally for a Belgian market, and the name of the other beer suggests that it has some particular US market connection. However, maybe not, since both beers were originally labeled at  9.0%, and this is 8.5%. That may not be definitive either, since maybe it (both) has just been downgraded half a notch on the ABV. Hard to know, more research required.

Not the prettiest color, a drab brown, although with some other light it takes on a bit more of a red hue than I first saw. Rocky white head is good, as is the retention and lace.

Nose has a surprising amount of fruity acidity, and the fruit is repeated in the tastes. A little on the thin side in the mouth, the beer does not deliver much (if any) Christmas element at all. Drying finish with some decent, light spice and a touch of bitterness in the back end along with a blast of alcohol that was missing until it warmed.

Honestly, this doesn’t feel especially complex or ‘special’, and although well made and tasty, I don’t think I’d be going out of my way for it again. That may be a bit harsh since I think this is a nice beer, but for a seasonal, “special” beer it falls a little short TBH.