Orkney Skull Splitter (Bottle)

Brewed by Orkney (Sinclair Breweries)
Style: Barley Wine
Stromness, Orkney, Highlands & Islands, Scotland

Bottle. Pours a slightly hazy brown/amber with a small light beige head that fades to a ring leaving some lacing. Aroma of caramel, dark dried fruit, port wine, and alcohol. Taste is the same as aroma. Full silky mouthfeel with mild bitterness, and light alcohol warmth. Very mild for a BW but still very good.

Pours a deep reddish brown with a small, creamy, beige head and good lacing. On the nose: sweet roasted malts, raisin, plum, faint woody smokiness and light alcohol. Full-bodied and creamy smooth, it finishes lightly bitter and with a nice alcohol warmth. Round, sweet, roasted malts, dark fruit, wood and alcohol come together in the flavor. Perhaps not as complex as some barley wines, but it is quite warm and satisfying.

I wake up this morning smiling with a hangover. I really went all out last night. I go to the bathroom for my morning ritual. I look in the mirror...my skull is split in half...but I’m not dead. No wonder I had a headache. How can this be? No NORMAL man could survive such a mortal wound...suddenly, my head begins to mend itself...slowly and gracefully...every fiber melding perfectly. Once I’m whole again, the room goes dark.......BOOOOOOM!!!! WHITE LIGHT!!--ANGELS!!� KNOW EVERYTHING!!. I AMMMM EVERYTHING!!". The World stops turning. It’s silent. I am..........The American Grandmaster of Beer Tasting.

Bottle. Pours a clear nice amber-brown colour with a good firm creamy beige long lasting head leaving a good lacing. Aroma of toasted malt and caramel, dark fruits and alcohol. Quite sweet flavour with brown sugar, toasted malt and caramel, bit of spice, dark fruits, alcohol and some bitetr hops. the finish is toasty dry and bitter.

330ml bottle. Snifter. Deep ruby red when held up to light. No head. Aroma was malt and smoke. Taste was malty with some dark fruit and a hint of smoke. Very sweet. Some hops become noticeable as it warms.

Definitely not my style. Beautiful color, long lasting stiff amber head. Too much sweetness for me with overwhelming caramel and molasses flavor.

Aroma is complex, with fruits and malts both very powerful. Taste is the same. Very fruity and floral, but a hint of something like raisins. Notes of caramel. Interesting, with a relatively light mouthfeel for a barley wine. Alcohol is not too apparent for 8.5%. Really very good.

Bottle. Small white head into slightly sparkling brown body. Aromas of pear, strong vinousness, and malts. Satin mouthfeel that is advertised is correct. But I must confess if I didn’t read that this was a barely wine I would have guessed wrong. Still a good beer.