Samuel Adams Old Fezziwig Ale
Classic mahogany appearance, head is not huge but the lacing sticks around. Aniseed and plenty of other spices abound in the nose; the trouble is that I don't adore "dark spicing" and sometimes it hinders my enjoyment of the ale. It's a decent flavor overall, rather mild for a winter warmer, with enough hops to be enjoyable enough for me. The spicing leaps in where the hops are done and carries the taste a bit out of my favored profile. That said, the allspice is significantly more prominent in the nose than the mouth. Thickness is medium to slightly thin, I would have been a bit more impressed with a silkier mouthfeel to round out the "sit by the fire, reading Joyce" feel I really enjoy from great cold weather beers. After a glass my taste buds were a little sick of this one; hops are prominent but don't carry the flavor, the spicing is big but the beer is not commensurately so...just a little out of whack.