Harviestoun Ola Dubh (12 Year Old)

Bottled #5426 Nov 2008. Dark brown color, steady espresso head. Strong smokey whisky aroma with hints of tar. Strong carbonation in the front. Medium-bodied. Highland Park -whisky flavor, roasted malts and licorice, in the finish hints of wood. Aftertaste is quite alcoholic. As austone said, Old Engine Oil is a bit too thin for barreling, Brewdog’s impy is a bit better for it.

Bottle from Windmill Farms. THick opaque coloring with a hint of ruby. Strong, creamy whiskey barrel aroma. Sweet nose with a little dark fruit. A hint of alcohol. Very thick mouthfeel. Woody and roasty. Roasted malts and some bitterness. Pretty solid.

Bottled Sept 07. Pours inky black into a goblet, maybe some purple around the edges, with limited head. Smells stout-ish. Very low carbonation, medium-heavy body, not quite a barleywine-like sipper. Taste is roasty, chocolaty, slightly smoky. Some raisiny notes, plus some whisky in the ribs afterwards. The mouthfeel slows you down more than any bitterness or booze does. Quite good.

Bottled. Black, thin and fading tanned head. Clear oak nose, some whiskey and burned maltiness. Flavor is rye pudding, dark chocolate and mild barrel. Dry burned finish with black espresso later on. Whiskey isn’t as apparent here as in the aroma. Medium bodied, strong and a bit harsh carbonation for the style. Old engine oil is perhaps a bit too thin for the barrel, and this result sure ain’t the most complex one. A pleasant sipper anyway.

Cask at Rattle’n’Hum. Muggy, whisky and oxidized malt aroma, plenty of prune, vanilla. Good body, lightish briney whiskey, corn meal. Nice and thick, but pretty much just a typical whiskey overload. Works fairly well though.

Tallahassee, Fl. - Liquor Loft - 12 oz bottle - bottle #20892/Sept 2007. Viscous, black as tar pour with a thin khaki colored head that rings the glass. In the front end, warming flavor, with some hints of licorice, pipe tobacco, and some smoky notes. As it settles, some sherry notes wander in, with hints of raisins and just a hint of chocolate. Finishes with just a hint of Scotch - reminding you of where this had been aged. Mouthfeel is warm and thickish. Excellent winter warmer.

330 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. Bottle No. 04062. ABV is 8.0%. Pitch black colour, big to moderate and creamy tan head. The whisky oak cask with peaty smoke and notes of vanilla and sherry comes through immediately in the aroma, followed by notes of roastiness (roast malts, coffee) and chocolate. The flavour has loads of rich malty sweetness, immediately followed by distinct notes of peaty smoke - it is quite amazing what impact the whisky cask has. Dark chocolate in the middle. The finish has a firm bitterness from the hops and burnt malts, while the peaty smoke lasts through the long aftertaste. A truly impressive beer, but if you don’t like scotch whisky at all, this might not be the beer for you. Not easy drinking, but a great sipping beer, and a real treat for any lover of peatiness.

Pours looking like an imperial stout, thick black, with a soapy head, but very low carbonation - initially, the nose has the dry, earthy, peaty character of the whiskey, but deeper whiffs reveal chocolate, smoke, roasted malts, oak - the peaty notes of the scotch remain the dominant aroma, though, and it is wonderful - very low carbonation, slick mouthfeel - the whiskey is less apparent in the flavor at first - chocolate and roasted malts manifest first - however, that lovely, peaty, earthy, dry scotch flavor eventually comes through, especially in the finish - some warming alcohol on the tail end enhances the whiskey flavors - if you are a fan of scotch, you have to try this - now I just might shell out the coin for the 30 year.