Limited Stock - Westvleteren 12 has a thin, but fine-beaded and lasting head. Aroma is of toffee and malt, with a touch of alcohol and paraffin, plus some red fruit and curranty notes. The alcohol nose resolves into whisky as the beer warms. In the mouth it is very foamy, with thick, dark fruit flavours including dates. Caramelised sugar, whisky, butterscotch and wood notes are all present - in fact it tastes almost as if it had been aged in an oak barrel. It is quite dry, but noticeably sweeter than the 5-year-old bottles - sweet in the manner of a good home-made toffee. Also, although still very smooth for its strength, it is harsher in terms of alcohol than the older beer, with phenols on the back of the throat. The finish contains lots of chocolate and caramel flavours. Aftertaste is of dark, almost marmitey malt, and lingers for a long time. This is a spectacularly good beer - just not quite as good as the same beer a few years later...