Boon Kriek Mariage Parfait 2008

Our friends, Nell and Benoit, gave us a bottle of Boon Kriek Mariage Parfait, vintage 2008, and they were careful to explain its rarity: apparently, Boon only makes it in small batches every other year. Exceptional indeed. It has a drink-by date of 2030, and I’m wondering if I should have put it down in the cellar for a few years first...

But the cork pops faster than I can reconsider.

The normal Boon Kriek has between 10 and 25% cherries. This pushes that to 40%. And it seems to be evident in the colour, which is a super-deep-yet-vibrant red, slipping toward maroon but without a hint of brown.

The taste is excellent. It’s not overly sweet like some “krieks”, but it’s not quite hyper-tart in the way that puts some people off Cantillon either. I wouldn’t say it’s a Goldilocks middle-ground, exactly, because Boon Kriek Mariage Parfait is certainly more tart than sweet, thankfully. Still, it seems exactly the right balance to me. 8% alcohol, if you’re counting.

I would say this is my favourite kriek now. I wonder what it would have tasted like if I’d left it till 2030... I need to find another bottle and hide it away...