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Harviestoun Ola Dubh (12 Year Old)

Harviestoun Ola Dubh (12 Year Old) - Old Ale

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 Percentile 
97
overall
Brewed by Harviestoun
Style: Old Ale

Alva, Central, Scotland

bottled
common

on tap
available

Broad Distribution
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 Ratings  Average  Score  Seasonal  ABV  Style Pctl  Serve in 
3013.8/5.03.78/5.0Special8%95English pint, Snifter
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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?  
 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 (1563), 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 (3861), 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


 buzzoven (333), Japan
3.8 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/103/58/104/516/20
Apr 3, 2009  
Very complex ale here. Deep dark brown in colour (barely any head) with hints of coffee, toffee, butterscotch and pine on the nose. Taste was very roasted with a sharp afterbite and some licorice taste on the lips. A very fine brew that I hope to find again.


 duff (5474), Surrey, Greater London, England
3.6 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/103/57/103/515/20
Apr 1, 2009  
Bottle. Very deep brownin colour. Great aroma of whiskey.With some peaty notes and roasted malt aromas. palate is sweetish, but the whiskey characters do dry it out. Lots of whiskey character, soft and balanced, with a nice hit of warmth in the finish. It does have a slightly dead finish, no length on the mouth feel, although the flavour seems to last a while. Well made i think, but just lacked that extra oomph in the finish.


 kkearn (994), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
3.6 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/57/104/514/20
Mar 31, 2009  
11.2oz bottle, # 02880 bottled Sept 2007. Sampled side-by-side with the 16 and 30. Pours very deep brown, nearly opaque, with a thin tan head. Nice roasted malt aroma with peat and whiskey. Flavor is very peaty, with some charcoal and burnt malt. These were all pretty similar, this stood out as the heaviest on the peat and charcoal.


 tlind2 (560), Helsinki, Finland
3.9 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
9/104/58/104/514/20
Mar 31, 2009  
330 ml bottle. Deep brown color, thin filmy head. Strong aroma with coffee, wood, dust and smoke. Bitter flavor follows after the aroma and finishes up dry. Medium-full body, low carbonation. Reminiscent of Old Engine Oil. Pretty good right now, so it’ll be nice to see how it matures.



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