My wonderful husband decided to surprise me with a bottle of the Westie 12. We can’t tell you how we got it from the monastery, but suffice it to say, it was worth the $25 in postage. It’s consistently rated as the top 1-2 beers in the world. Part of the mystique is from the exclusivity of the beer. One has to make reservations at the monastery and can only buy a limited amount. Also, the car’s license plate must be given so that the monks can check and see if you’re a beer reseller. (It’s one way to limit how many times you can come and buy beer – if you have a limitless supply of cars and disguises, you can buy more, otherwise, it’s one visit a month) It’s dark, malty and slightly sweet. As it gently warms, it gets more complex – do not serve this ice cold! Each taste lingers with a malty bite. The nose has a slight grape and apple essence along with brown sugar, or is that corn tortilla? It has a punch to it, though, so don’t be fooled. In my opinion, that only beer that is close is the Rochefort 8.