Anchor Brewing Merry Christmas Ale - i've been recuited for a clone

this is the one from a magazine for the 1995 clone.
i'll change it to all grain, but does anyone think it'd be a good idea to add anything to it? i'd be brewing blind as i haven't even tried this yet but sounds delish!

9oz US 40L Crystal Malt
5oz British Chocolate Malt
Steep for 30 mins at 150 degrees in 1 gal of water


Add water to bring it up to 2.5 gal
4.5# Muntons Extra Light DME (60 mins)
4# Alexanders Pale LME (60 mins)
2oz Malto Dextrin (60 mins)
1.25oz Northern Brewer (60 mins)
1/4oz Norther Brewer (15mins)
1/2 inch Vanilla Bean (15 mins)
1/4 tsp Nutmeg (15 mins)
1/4 tsp Anise (15 mins)
1 tsp Irish Moss (15 mins)
1/2 inch Vanilla Bean (1 min)
1/4 tsp Anise (1 min)

Northwest Ale or American Ale yeast (I used WL California Ale yeast

1 week in the primary and 4 in the secondary, then bottle/keg

O.G 1.068-1.069
F.G 1.017-1.018

Anchor changes their Christmas Ale every year, and they keep their recipes very secretive. What you have there may be a good recipe, but chances are it won't be near a clone of this year's Anchor Christmas Ale. And who knows what it was like in 1995!

If you do go with this, consider splitting the vanilla bean and tossing in secondary (if you secondary) instead of boiling it. IMHO, of course.