What did you drink this Christmas

Every year around Christmas I love to go to the local liquor store and have a look what is being released for the season. This year there was an abundance of Craft mixed packs from breweries large and small with some real interesting ones like a Traditional ales of Scotland pack bittered with everything from pine to meadow sweet and heather (very cool). The annual focus on bubbly was there as well with many fun offerings and what would the holidays be without lots of sweet liqueurs around for coffees. So what did I wait to unwrap until Christmas eve. 3 great Abbey ales all very different and very tasty.

We started with the 3 Monts which was a French beer in the Belgium style straw colored and effervescent with a crisp finish I liked this with the cheese tray. The next was Abbaye des Rocs Speciale de Noel, wow this is serious beer dark and rich like fruitcake drizzled with molasses I should have bought 2 bottles of this and let one age for a couple years I think this will even get better with age.The grand finale was Val- Dieu grand cru another age worthy monster, this one was more refined with all kinds of subtle flavors and yeasty goodness. Now I know that everyone must be thinking geez this guys a drunk, 3 ales all over 8% but I had a lot of help from the family tasting panel and 5 or more on a bottle didn't leave near enough for yours truly so I need to go out and try to find some more of these. While I was imbibing in these truly special ales I had a recurring thought I paid $13 for the most expensive of these world class beers what would I have to pay to experience the best Bordeau or single malt.