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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?  
ErikTheViking (76), Oslo, Norway
2.1 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
3/104/53/103/58/20
Apr 23, 2009  
7 April 2009 on Cardinal. The Old Engine Oil is a superb beer, so I was very disappointed by this. Aroma from "torvrøyk". This does not smell like beer, and it does not taste like beer. It may have been beer, but it is not any longer. Expensive too.


 SaintMatty (1213), Tallinn, Estonia
3.7 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/57/104/515/20
Apr 17, 2009  
330ml Bottle - Black in colour, with a tan head. Malty and roasted aroma with hints of raisins and plain chocolate. Rich and slightly hoppy taste with roasted malt and plain chocolate being detected. Tasty and easy to drink.


 HogTownHarry (3993), Toronto (Harbourfront), Ontario, Canada
3.9 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/58/104/516/20
Apr 16, 2009  
Bottle (330ml). Shared by jerc and mabel with me and garthicus. Oily reddish black pour with a smallish frothy tan head. Mild aroma - sweet roast coffee bean, dry, medium alcohol, with an underlying light Islay scotch pungency. Lovely taste, mostly peat/iodine Islay scotch balanced against a sweet caramel malt, slightly herbal. Sticky body, mild carbonation, long peaty finish. A lovely drinker, not over the top at all.


 Capa (965), Yokosuka, Japan
4.1 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/58/105/516/20
Apr 15, 2009  
Very dark with the faintest of ruby highlites. Intense molasses, sweet malts, brown sugar, chocolate, light whisky, and wood. Full bodied, but not overly so. Sweet malts, molasses, chocolate, toffee, woody, a touch of peat, and very little alcohol. Finishes sweet and long with mild bitterness. I really enjoyed this one. Much better than an over the top imperial stout, IMO.


 djtimeless (170), Florida, USA
3.9 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/58/104/516/20
Apr 13, 2009  
Pours out blackwith foam on top. First taste is malty with roasty woody flavors. Slight warming from the whisky notes. Not quite a imp stout. Very good brew.


 bconley (351), Fern Park, Florida, USA
4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/105/58/104/515/20
Apr 8, 2009  
Bottle at home.Black and thick. Deep malts, sticks to me and the glass. The whisky aging is really nice and adds various flavors to the thick, chewy body.


 TheBeerOrg (1570), Kentucky, USA
4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/58/104/516/20
Apr 5, 2009  
Pours near black with a mostly receding wispy brown head. Aroma of molasses, candy, toffee, brown sugar, vinous malt, and spice. Mouthfeel is full bodied with light carbonation. A very elegant beer.


 jerc (3888), Toronto, Ontario, Canada
3.9 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/58/104/516/20
Apr 4, 2009  
2009-04-02. Pitch black with a modest chocolate brown head. Aroma is boozy at first, fairly mild dark malt, light roasty malt. (7+) Flavour has a boozy introduction with whisky up front but it leads nicely into a rich malt profile. Roasty malt is very lightly smokey/peat touched. Mild alcohol and bitterness linger pleasantly in the aftertaste. It is not overly complex at times, but it is pleasantly rich. Smooth medium to full bodied palate. (4+) Rather good, surprisingly drinkable. Bottle from Village Beer Merchant, Buffalo



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