Virgil's

Who Made This Stuff? Reed’s Inc.

Website: http://www.reedsinc.com/virgils

Where’d It Come From? T.

Review Date: 11/09/09

Commentary: I am pleased to announce that this is my first “requested” review. I arrived at my desk one day last week to find two bottles of Virgil’s waiting for me along with a note that read, “Please review. (signed) T.” Now that I am mostly over the cold I was nursing last week (and can taste things again) I am more than happy to accommodate T’s request. So, T, this one is for you….

Great first sniff when I opened the bottle. A nice spicy aroma, a good whiff of licorice and classic root beer smell. The head was not anything special to behold, with large bubbles that dissipated rather quickly. The first sip is really good. Lots of flavors in the mix here. The ingredient list from the label confirms this: anise, licorice, vanilla, cinnamon, clove, wintergreen, sweet birch, molasses, nutmeg, pimento berry oil, balsam oil, and oil of cassia. Wow, that is quite a list. I cannot claim to identify all those flavors in there, but I can certainly pick out the licorice, wintergreen, and cinnamon. This is not what I would call a smooth, sweet, or creamy brew – far from it. With all those ingredients, it does have a bite. It is a bite I like, though. Unfortunately, the fizz has left my glass pretty quickly. Maybe I had poor pouring technique?

This one has a unique, complex flavor. I definitely like it. I do not think this is one I would drink with a meal though -- too much going on. For me, this will have to be a stand-alone brew to be enjoyed by itself. I may need to take a few points off due to that fact. I would serve this to friends, for sure. It might not be my first choice to grab from the fridge, but I will be happy to score it as..................................................................80.