Tasting Notes: Traquair House and Jacobite Ales
Brewery: Traquair House
Location: Innerleithen, Peebleshire, Scotland
ABV: House 7.2%/Jacobite 8.0%
Version: 330ml bottles
Dating back to 1107, Traquair was originally a hunting lodge for the kings and queens of Scotland. Later a refuge for Catholic priests in times of terror the Stuarts of Traquair supported Mary Queen of Scots and the Jacobite cause without counting the cost.
Today Traquair is a unique piece of living history welcoming visitors from all over the world, providing a magical and romantic setting for weddings, hosting a wide range of summer events and a superb venue for corporate groups. You can even stay here in the luxurious bed & breakfast accommodation.
The brewery itself has been operation since 1965, operating all year round except for August, and produces 600-700 barrels a year. According to their website there are currently three bottled beers on offer, the two covered here plus the lower strength Bear Ale.
Traquair say of their House Ale -
The original ale first brewed in 1964 and now sold all over the world. Perhaps the most distinctive Scottish ale on the market and with its rich dark oakiness, this is a serious winter ale.
It pours pitch black with a wonderfully complex malty aroma, with liquorice, toffee, dried fruit and sherry. The taste is equally as complex, with more of that maltiness to the fore, but backed up with notes of liquorice, molasses, dates, raisins, caramel and treacle. The alcohol is well-controlled and doesn't dominate. In mouthfeel it's quite thin for the strength and mix of flavours, but that's about the only negative thing I can say about it, and it's certainly not a major issue.
The Jacobite Ale is -
Brewed to celebrate the anniversary of the 1745 Jacobite rebellion the ale proved to be so popular it has become a permanent addition to the range. Based on an eighteenth century recipe the ale is spiced with coriander which gives a remarkably fresh aftertaste.
This one is very dark brown, almost black but not quite, with another complex aroma. Again it's very malty with some fruit including green grapes, red berries and plums, with a touch of caramel and brown sugar. I found the taste surprising light for the strength and not as complex as I was expecting from the aroma. It's malty, but not overly so, with liquorice, caramel, oak, chocolate and molasses all present, but at times they struggle to make their presence known; probably down to that thin mouthfeel again. There's also a herby element due to the addition of coriander in the mix, and some fruity berry and plum notes. That thinness is again a minor issue but doesn't stop it being a lovely beer.
So all in all, two very pleasant and enjoyable ales well worth sampling, and I'd happily get them again.
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I was on holiday up that way a couple of weeks ago, so duly popped into the brewery (and the lovely estate). I picked a mixed case of beer up including the two listed above, but also Bear Ale and Laird's Liquor (their fourth bottled ale, 6% abv). I also managed to find their Stuart Ale on cask at the Traquair Arms Hotel at Innerleithen. Well worth a visit, the area is fantastic.
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I remember buying a gift pack of Traquair ales when Jo and I visited the house a few years ago, and I remember enjoying them immensely as well. Long past time to re-visit, I think...
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