Harpoon Brewery: Harpoon Barelywine

Official description from the brewery:
Every beer we brew is a labor of love, but some are a bit more labor intensive than others. Th­is Barleywine has been a long time in the making. Between recipe tweaks, choosing the right wooden barrels and assessing the ideal duration for aging, it took many test batches, over many years to perfect this beer. Our version, a modern American Barleywine, was inspired by the many variations of the style, most notably the British barleywines of the 18th century. An amber hue with a hint of oak on the nose, this beer starts out light and sweet with subtle vanilla notes picked up from 6 months of aging in bourbon barrels. Th­e finish is balanced and smooth. ­This big, malty beer is meant for cellaring, then sharing.