To BA or not BA

I think most of the time I like the barrel-aged version of something more, but this is one of those expections.   The Diablo Belga is one of my favorite beers, but I don't expect it to carry such weight with others.  I think it ventures a bit from orthodox Dubbel with those interesting liquorice/aniseed notes... but this is a venture I very much enjoy.  I think it's uniqueness should be celebrated.  In fact I think it's one of the few beers I could pick out of an infinately-broad blind beer tasting.  

I like the Bourbon-barrel-aged version of this less than the regular one.  Maybe it's because I lose those tastes I found so distinctive.  But I don't know.   I sort of think this beer is somehow more bland.  And usually a BBA beer is sweet to too-sweet.  By contrast the BBA Diablo Belga is slightly sour.   Kind of like the BA Dedications from Vintage.

I make it sound like I don't like it.  That's not the case.  I like it.  I just like the non-BBA version more.  So I think the moral of the story here is that barrel-aging shouln't be thought of as an automatic improvement to a beer.