Chimay Barrel Fermented Whisky edition (2022)

Style: B.A. belgian strong dark ale
Brewery: Bieres de Chimay
Origin: Belgium
Size: 75cl
Alcohol: 10.5%
Price: 249kr
Systembolaget: 8883501

Chimay is a Trappist brewery founded in 1862 at Scourmont Abbey, Belgium, and is one of the eleven breweries worldwide that produce authentic Trappist beer. Chimay blue is considered to be their flagship beer and is one of the most recognizable Trappist beers. In 1948, Father Theodore began the first test brews with a new yeast, but it wasn’t until 1956 that it was bottled with its distinct blue top. Since 2015, Chimay has been proceeding to a second fermentation of the Chimay Blue in wooden barrels, which change every year. In 2022 they made 67,000 bottles of this whiskey version and I was lucky enough to get my hands on a few. I’m so glad I did as this turned out to be one of my favourite beers of 2025.

This whisky edition poured a deep, dark mahogany brown with ruby flashes and a dense, beige head. The aroma was intense and complex, combining classic Chimay notes of dark fruit, caramel, and brown sugar with whisky barrel characters such as oak, vanilla, soft smoke, and a hint of bourbon. On the palate, it was rich and full-bodied, with flavours of toffee, molasses, raisins, and dates layered with warming alcohol. The aftertaste was long, smooth, and gently drying, leaving lingering impressions of dark fruit, oak, warming spirit character, and a refined, whisky-kissed sweetness that slowly faded.

This was simply amazing, in every aspect. They’ve taken one of my favourite beers and improved it. Although it might be a bit pricey, it was worth it. If you find a bottle of this, just buy it straight away. Amazing.