Lunden, by friendly bar keep, found a couple odds and ends squirreled away in 4 Daughters Irish Pub’s beer library and kindly allowed me to liberate them for a modest fee. Tonight I’m opening up a bottle from Traquair house, Scottish brewery and Scotland’s oldest inhabited house. There’s a fascinating story behind the property, but let’s get to the good stuff with Traquair Scottish House Ale.
Traquair Scottish House Ale poured a dark, hazy, chestnut brown into the glass capped with a cream colored frothy head. The ale had a surprisingly hop forward nose for a European ale, full of fresh garden herbs supported by a toasted, warm barley backbone.
Traquair Scottish House Ale opened with a light mouth-feel that quickly turned creamy, with echoes of roasted coffee and chocolate supporting vanilla and a dark fruit sweetness. The ale lingered in the mouth, dry and warm.
If I had to boil the Traquair Scottish House Ale experience down to a single statement, it would be that the ale comes off perfectly balanced and integrated. Nothing is out place, and nothing is missing. Truly a stately experience.
