Harviestoun Old Engine Oil Special Reserve

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

Serve in English pint, Snifter

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Pours near black, perhaps very very dark brown with brown head. Nose has a clean, marshmallowy roastiness at first. Start to notice some baking chocolate too after a few whiffs. Dark fruits are also present. On the palate is baker’s chocolate, spirity/alcohol, and a smooth dark chocolate finish. The dark chocolate comes across in a dry way - not very sweet. Finish is a little chalky and alcoholic.

33cl bottle of unknown year from Beverage Castle (Tampa, FL). Pours a murky, used engine oil dark brown to black with one finger tannish head. Aroma is sweet and malty with notes of coffee, chocolate, bourbon, maple syrup, vanilla, wood, toffee, caramel, molasses, ripe dark fruit. Flavor is roasted and malty with notes of creamy vanilla, roasted and toasted malt, bourbon, wood, smoke, hints of toffee, brown sugar, and molasses. Generally medium to full body with a pleasing rich and malty finish.

i got a rock ... . pours a dark midnight black .. . low soy sauce and tar aromas .. . small head ring .. mallard .. . delicious stuff, amazing aged qualities without dust .. . great mouth, sweet tar players, with some bovril and smoke aura... good stuff!

Pitch black with a thick tan head. Aroma of smokey whiskey. Taste is slightly aged cardboard, dark roasty malt, vanilla, wood, chocolate, some sherry. Definitely a bit too old.

11.2 oz bottle. Black with a wispy tan head. Rich, malty nose, woody vanilla and roasty malt, dark molasses and whisky. Big sweet molasses flavors, roasty and peaty, a bit of earthiness and a hint of something tart. Chocolate flavors grow as it warms, and it seems to mellow out some, particularly the slight alcohol burn. Smooth, silky body that never seems too thick. Oddly, the finish is relatively clean, which surprised me a bit. Just a nice, warm, sweet smokiness. A winner!

A little fuller body and this beer would be really awesome. Pours like a thinner imperial stout, with an aroma of chocolate, malt, oak and a nice (but not overpowering) hint of whiskey. Flavor is more of the same but its nice because the whiskey flavor is subtle and does not over-do it. Kind of has a flat finish, but pretty good stuff.

Bottle. Dark brown. Aroma is chocolate, booze, peat, smoke, and some slight sour aromas too. Flavor is quite sour in a way with some booze, chocolate and some fruit. Mouthfeel is a bit thinner than I would like, but it is still very nice.

Pours a dark black brown color with a small light brown bubbly head that quickly shrinks . Nose is soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, oak, smoke and peat. Mouthfeel is very nice adn syrup like. Taste is booze, oak, charcoal, teriyaki rice. The alcohol taste is obvious but you do not feel the burn. Pretty good.

11.2 oz bottle, 2002 vintage. A vigorous pour yields a brief, sudsy tan head atop ebony. Nose is whiskey, molasses and chocolate cake. Smooth medium body, a tad flat. Taste is toffee and raisin getting woody with sherry. At 6 ABV this has held up pretty well but still feels faded.

Bottle. Pours a dark blackness with a brune head. Lightly vinous with notes of merlot, whiskey, chocolate, wood and dark fruit. A nice etoh warming. A very solid beer.