Orkney Dark Island (Bottle)

Brewed by Orkney (Sinclair Breweries)
Style: Old Ale
Stromness, Orkney, Highlands & Islands, Scotland

Pour is a nice dark brown, almost black, only a thin line of foam around the side of the glass. The aroma is like whiskey, full of smoked pete and charcoal. Flavor is well defined due to the lack of carbonation or severe bitterness. The flavor has a nice blend of earthy warmth and slight bit of dark fruit to match.

A great morning drink for watching the football/soccer match when stout is just too much of a meal. Great caramel taste, fizzy on the lips and oily in the back of the throat. It’s reminiscent of a standard brown ale but with much more caramel and fizz. Nicely complex.

Clear, but dark rusty-brown body with a soft, velvety beige head. Aroma of warm toffee with a nice impression of peat, cigars, and chocolate. Malty aroma takes on greater depth as it warms. Flavor is of a smoky Scottish ale with a nice chocolate note. Medium sweet finish with lingering smoky phenols. Great aftertaste. Relatively light-bodied and very drinkable. This is a nice malty session beer with abundant flavor.

dark ruddy chesnut color. dense foamy tan head with lots of dimples. aroma is peaty malt, some earthy caramel, a little licorice too. mouthfeel is watery compared to a scotch ale, but other similarities are there - peaty raosted earthy malt flavor, slightly sweet like molasses. mildly bitter finish to remind you it’s from the UK. nice light version of the scotch ale style.

Big peat, smoke and malt aroma. Looks great. Huge head on a black porterish looking body. Smokey flavor predominates the initial taste then mild sweet caramel malts follow. Also a lingering taste of smoke. This almost comes across as a rauchbier. Not really the flavors I am looking for in beer, but this is well made and interesting.

Very rich roasted malt aroma. Great looking beer...dark mahogany with a big long lasting caramel head. Rich bourbony flavor with peaty notes. Sweet roasted maltiness prevails with dried fruit undertones and hoppy bite. Palate seems a touch thin, but I don’t hold that against this fine product. I’ll have another, thank you!

16.9 oz. bottle from Peace St. Market, Raleigh. Wow, the bottle graphics are great! Reminds me of either Stonehenge or Easter Island or giant asymetric penises. The pour is very deep brown with a 2-finger tan head and tons of concentric lacing rings. Aroma of huge corn flakes, roasty malt, nuts, hops, cinnamon, cognac, figs. The aroma reminds me a lot of Fullers London Porter, so you just know this one is going to be good. I question anyone giving this less than an 8 for aroma. The taste is nutty, roasty-malty, with finishing notes of cinnamon, brown sugar, figs, hops, and bourbon. The palate is dense and complex, and the balance is very good. This beer is excellent. Don’t let your girlfriend go to Dark Island, because it will ravage and consume her with the carnal and cosmic power of 10,000 horny Zulus.

Very nice, very very dark pour. There doesnt seem to be much aroma, a little sweet maybe, chocolate notes. Taste is great, like really bitter coffee and chocolate, smooth, a little molasses in there which gives it a little sweetness, and finishing with a dry a slightly hoppy, if u dig far enough finish. Rerate: If this has lost something from the cask, then the bottles are not good at all.