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Harviestoun Ola Dubh (12 Year Old)

Percentile
97
overall
Brewed by Harviestoun
Style: Old Ale

Alva, Central, Scotland

bottled
common

on tap
available

Broad Distribution
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RatingsAverageScoreSeasonalABVStyle PctlServe in
3053.8/5.03.78/5.0Special8%95English pint, Snifter
Commercial Description:
Ola Dubh (or ‘Black Oil’) is a collaboration between Harviestoun Brewery and Highland Park, Distiller of the Year*. It is based on Harviestoun’s award-winning Old Engine Oil. With more than a stylistic nod to the classic Imperial Porters (and Stouts) of the nineteenth century, this deliciously rich, dark, 8% a.b.v. beer is the first ale to be aged in malt whisky casks from a named distillery and, with traceable casks and numbered bottles, the rest with genuine provenance. Ola Dubh will initially be available in three different expressions; the initial release will be of small batches aged in casks formerly used to mature Highland Park 12 Year Old, Highland Park 16 Year Old and Highland Park 30 Year Old. Further variants are planned for the future. Ola Dubh is, in the words of beer afficionado Owen D.L. Barstow: “The most interesting new British beer I have tried in years.”
 Most Recent Top Raters Highest Ratings Who's Rated This?  
 Sammy (3979), Toronto, Ontario, Canada
3.6 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
5/104/57/104/516/20
Jul 9, 2008  
First of the series, retrieved at State Line Liquor, and most promising. Aroma is of an imperial stout with some whiskey. Black body. Creamy mouthfeel with whiskey,chocolate, ah a drinkable pleasure rather than bourbon. A bit woody. Most satisfying.


 jimhilt (1674), Bow, New Hampshire, USA
4.2 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/59/104/517/20
Jun 30, 2008  
Pours a one finger brown head that fades slowly to a thin layer, leaving some lace. Totally black, no highlights. Light carbonation and heavy bodied. Sweet whiskey nose. Flavor is sweet oak and whiskey with hints of sweet smokiness. Nice old ale. $8.95 for a 330ml bottle from Colonial Spirits Acton, Ma bottled Sep 2007.


 JK (2949), Richfield, Minnesota, USA
3.8 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/57/104/516/20
Jun 28, 2008  
A very dry beer with no hop presence. Lots of sweet malt in the aroma. Flavor is dry with more grain and very good smoke with peat. Dry flavor and dry on the palate with an earthy character. Very nice.


 thedm (3834), Fort Wayne, Indiana, USA
4.3 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/59/105/518/20
Jun 26, 2008  
This delicious brew from Indianapolis, IN was marked bottle #12948 from Sept of 2007. It poured a fully diminished head that later miraculously foamed up to small then quickly disappeared. Never saw a brew do that before. The head was made up of fine to medium sized bubbles which left behind an opaque black colored body with no visible carbonation and a n oily lacing. The aroima was of mild whiskey and strong burnt malts. The mouth feel was strongly tingly and stout like from start to finish. The flavor contained notes of mild malts strong dark malts and mild whiskey.


 LooseCannon (927), Norfolk, Virginia, USA
4.1 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/58/104/517/20
Jun 17, 2008  
11.2oz bottle, Bottle No. & Date: 06623/Sept 2007. Pour dark brown in color with no head at all. Aroma whiskey, vanilla and chocolate. Taste dark chocolate, coffee and whiskey with bitter finish.


 eaglefan538 (2360), Wilmington, Delaware, USA
3.7 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/103/58/103/516/20
Jun 14, 2008  
Bottle 12227, 2007. Pour was pitch black, decent tannish colored head. Aroma is strong vanilla and tapioca notes w/ some chocolate underneath. The flavor is tapioca-vanilla, chocolate, light roast, enjoyable. Alcohol a little sharp, but the whiskey flavors do not over-run the beer. Neat stuff, short of great, though.


 19641948 (492), Greensboro, North Carolina, USA
3.6 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/103/56/104/515/20
Jun 14, 2008  
Bottle No. & Date: 08869 / Sept 2007. Pours jet black with a tight tan head that reduces to a thin collar with a swirled galaxy floating in the middle. Quiet aromas of mild whiskey and peat. Understated. The first sip absolutely glides across the lips. Tobacco, molasses, wood, scotch. Warming alcohol, but it begins to turn southward as it goes on. A tasty sipper in a snifter, but dispose of it quickly to minimize untoward flavors.


 dwyerpg (2529), Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
4.6 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
10/105/58/105/518/20
Jun 13, 2008  
What an aroma! should get a 12! Flavor doesn’t start with ehaviness but it grows into an intense finish. Sweet and intense, yet it doesn’t seem to strong. Best aroma of the bunch.



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