Harviestoun Ola Dubh (30 Year Old)

Tasted @ the Uber Tavern in Seattle.
Black colored brew. Roasted malty aroma. Some smoke and wood. Flavor is smooth, wood, smoked and roasted chocolate malts. Some spices. Interesting combination of flavors.

Wow. This is a unique beer, and maybe it needs to age some more, but I was not necessarily impressed with it in all of its subtleties. It pours the color of motor oil with a very shy off-white head. It smells like wood, smoke (LOTS), tobacco, more smoke, and chocolate malt. The flavor is chewy and oily with a very woody, bitter, smoky pieces to this puzzle. It is very different. It has unique properties, and I am glad I tried it, but I could not drink a whole bottle.

12 oz bottle (around 16 dollars with tax included) into sniffer - why does RB instruct one to serve it (an Old Ale) in a dimpled mug or stein????? Black pour with a nice dirty tan, frothy lasting head. Smells rich and roasty with definite hints of dark chocolate and mellow whiskey (and vanilla) - smells like an impy stout. The more I nose it, the more I am getting dark cherry and wood notes. The flavor is very smooth, well rounded, and balanced. It has creamy chocolate and vanilla notes, some woody and smokey roastyness, with an easy going and soft whiskey finish (that is much more subtle than I expected). The flavor is not unbelievably potent or bold, but its infallible balance awards it a sturdy 9. It is medium bodied on the palate - silky smooth with soft carbonation. Overall: there is nothing wrong with this brew; it is delicious and very well balanced. HOWEVER, it is way to tamed with its subtleties and its 8% abv. to be worth 16 dollars per 12oz. This price obviously has to do with a certain rarity factor regarding production and availability of 30 year old Highland Park Barrels (as well as the name "Highland Park" itself), but I would suggest anyone interested in this brew split the cost with at least one other person. On the last and final note, everything about it defines this beer undoubtedly as a stout - an (almost)imperial stout - not an old ale. Cheers to Ola Dubh 30 taking my 200!!

From tap at OBrians. Pours pitch black with a lacing tan head. Aroma is dense roasted malt, dense oily and distinct barrel base presence. Dense roasted malt an dark barrel/whisky base presence. Solid smooth and nicely spiced. Smooth finish yet dense and mild spiced with alingering whiskey presence.

Taste 8/8 (Bottle#09344/Sept.07) Looks: Black with no head, just a few tan bubbles. Aroma: Very aromatic. Wood cask, smoke/bacon. Roast. Taste: Very smooth and medium bodied. Nice smoke with a little mocha, cask presenting at the end. Small hint of fruit. Big taste. Very little carbonation. I’m a fan of scotch and paired this beer with some Balvenie. It was a nice sipping combination.

Tap @ O’briens for a bargain at $8/10oz. Poured black with a creamy tan head. Strong whisky aroma with a good balance of sweet roasted malt and a hint of coffee. Great mix of whisky and sweet milk chocolate. This is yummy. Silky medium bodied. Much better than I had expected. Decent wamrth.

33 cl, bottle # 09386, Sept 07. Another opaque black pour with the creamiest, inch thick head this side of nitro. Aroma is smoky, piquant hickory with caramel, vanilla and cocoa. Flavor is smoky hickory, caramel, vanilla and milk chocolate turning to sherry and cured tobacco. Medium-heavy body is smooth, sticky, and slightly drying on the finish. If this (and the other O. D.s) weren’t so expensive I could drink it till I drowned.

draft @ uber - 4 oz. pour; thought i had missed this treat from the 2nd anniversary festivities; dark, black cola with thin tan head; smells like a shot of whiskey that was camped out next to a campfire; the smoke seems to smooth it out and doesn’t overwhelm in any way; tastes much stronger than 8%; lots of oak and smoking malts; pretty tasty; interested to see how the bottle i have (thank again pepsican!!) ages