Harviestoun Ola Dubh (16 Year Old)

Brewed by Harviestoun
Style: Old Ale
Alva, Central, Scotland

Serve in English pint, Snifter

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ubh (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.”

AROMA: coffee, licorice, toast, roasty, APPEARANCE: black, minimal head, brown foam, TASTE: medium bitterness, umami, light sweetness, PALATE: medium body, creamy, soft carbonation, bitter, long finish, sticky on the lips OVERALL: very rounded aromas that all complement, incredibly long aftertaste of licorice and bitternes.

You look at this beer and try to discern a colour... the best you can get is that it is as black as sin and maybe shows some mahogany around the dimple and the rim of the glass. The head upped and went after a very short time leaving a herbal-greenish tinge on a latte skim of bubble. The nose is just molasses all over. I’m surprised this s connected with whisky and not dark rum. Black strap molasses, pumpernickel, rye, dark chocolate, treacle, plums and thick plastic dominate the aromas. While it is obviously enormous, it is a treat for the nose. Thick and oily in the mouth, those aroma signatures abound in the mouth with plentiful molasses. There is a nod toward bitterness but the start is its thick, oily texture. It is chewy and reminds me of an acquaintance who having been to Ireland (and was not known as a Guinness drinker) said you could stand a spoon up in the pints. This is probably as close as that gets. A bit of bonfire smoke starts to come out in the flavour, which is gratifying and resonates with the house character of Highland Park whisky - also a favourite. This is love: beer and whisky in poetic harmony. Sweet toward the finish without being sickly and cloying. Plenty of lingering warmth in the top of the chest and a platoon of Orcadian distillery workers and Caledonian brewers to thank. The warmth in my chest is probably made up just as much of love.

Bottle from Slowbeer. Delicious. Aromas of chocolate, caramel, dough, liquorice, Xmas. Sweet, with sour and bitter notesr, very long length. Syrupy, full bodied. Black, with a frothy head.

Ser ut som svært olje. Lite skum og moderat med carbos. Velbalansert maltsmak. Smaker ikke for mye whiskey. Cardinal.

Et meget spesielt øl. Ikke noe for de som er fornøyd med en 6 pakning eller som ikke er åpen for å prøve ut mangfoldet som finnes av øl. Lite eller ingen lukt. Dyp mørk farge. Kalles ikke svart olje uten grunn. Dyp ettersittende tørr røksmak.

One of my favourite Scottish brewers ageing a good beer in whisky casks from one of my favourite distillers. What’s not to like? I have a few caveats primarily related to dull carbonation but they’re relatively minor. The bottle is beautifully presented, playing off the traditions of the whisky industry. However, the beer’s appearance is a minor disappointment - black and oily indeed but the stunted head fizzled out faster than I wrote this sentence. The aroma is heavy on molasses, sweet with hints of oak and licorice. No obvious whisky notes yet. Almost flat in the mouth and certainly oily. Very sweet on the tongue - treacle pudding, licorice again, with some prickly hop cut-through and a hot finish. Richly flavoured but I’m not yet convinced the barrel ageing has added much. (Bottle 6675, February 2012)

Very deep brown, thin tan head. Aroma of bready malt, toffee, smoky for sure, light bacon-fat note, very light chocolate. Flavor of grainy malt, light cocoa, some toffee, drying grainy finish with smoke, a slightly chalky character.

Aroma is nice - spirits and booze. Taste is vegemite early; not so pleasant. As it warms, flavour comes out more - whiskey and dark malt. Nice, but would prefer straight ol’ engine oil.

Bottle. This is a beautiful beer that I would enjoy more often if not for the price point.