pours a murky, deep mahogany tone; finger, finger and a half of creamy beige/off-white head with solid retention and nice walls of lacing; fair amount of sediment.

the nose is a big, rich bouquet of raisins, figs, belgian yeasts, caramel malts, brown sugar, and booze. smells deliciously complex.

more of the same pull through in the taste; a nice and very tasty balance between the dark fruits, caramel sweetness,belgian yeast, spices, and warming alcohol which ensues - relatively well hidden considering north of 11% ABV... as the beer warms, the flavors really emerge. utterly delicious.

i'd put the moutfeel at little above medium-bodied; a bit of chew to it, creamy with average carbonation and dangerously drinkable.

IMO, in the final analysis this is simply a world class beer. when i first began drinking quads i started on this guy, and then worked my way around a fair bit (westvleteren 12 still to go), sampling some great beer, but in the end nothing has come close. every time i return to rochefort 10 i'm reminded why it stands alone - hype or no, this is probably my favorite beer of all time. well done, monks of the brasserie de rochefort. well done.