Harviestoun Ola Dubh (12 Year Old)

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

Chocolate, coffee, and wood in the nose. Pours very dark brown with no head. Woody, chocolate and coffee, very smokey, with charcoal and slightly peaty. Its very smooth and better as it warms up.

Bottle 04111, September 2007 Date; sampled April 2008
A vigorous pour produces a two-finger thick, frothy, fairly large bubbled, creamed cocoa-brown colored head. The beer is almost indistinguishable from black, but does show a touch of deep, dark, burnt-amber color if held up directly to the light. Wow, this smells like a rich, savory candy that is a mix of teriyaki, sesame, and concentrated toffee. Underneath this are substantial aromatic notes of prunes and dried figs that are joined by softer, but quite distinct notes of salty, smoky peat reek. Molasses aromatics play a huge role, just a confluence of the sweet, concentrated malt and the savor malt and peat character. This beer is dripping with umami aromatics; rich, savory, hearty & a concentrated, aged malt character that is just oozing drops of intense malt character.

Thick, but quite a bit lighter than might be suggested by the aroma; in fact it has a thinness that I was expecting before I cracked this beer and smelled the concentrate aroma. Flavors of lightly sweet, yet rich, molasses, Hoisin sauce, concentrated graham crackers, buttery toffee and burnt salt-water taffy; really this beer is not all that sweet, but just enough to keep the richness in check. The finish is dried out quite a bit by a lingering, slightly astringent, light bitter, burnt malt character that adds flavors of cold-pressed black coffee, . The whisky notes are fairly soft here, I think it is mostly a salty, smoky peat-derived character that shows up; it most definitely adds to the richness of this brew.

The flavor of this beer is quite a bit better and richer if you take a few minutes rest between sips, without doing this the beer somehow comes off as being a bit thin. The molasses like character of this brew is perhaps as big as I have ever tasted in a beer and this mixes quite well with a solid smokiness that is quite pleasing to my palate. An interesting beer; I definitely like the balance and character that the barrel aging has brought as it is not too overwhelming here.

Purchased: <a href=http://www.ratebeer.com/Places/ShowPlace.asp? Liquors, Tucson AZ

Here we go folks. This one pour blackish with a modest spattered head that reduces slowly leaving behind textbook lacework. The aroma is delicious to say the least with an aroma I remember from childhood. It was a smoky marinade recipe for pork chops that my grandfather held close to his vest. It was an aroma that made my mouth water. Smoky Worcestershire, leather, iodine, grilled steak, and dough. Medium nectar and low carbonation with soft and creamy effers. Mildly sweet and smoky with a moderate roast. A defined and penetrating bittering component adds to this complex brew a worthy drinkability. Flavors of smoky sweet malts, roasted peat and coffee bean, leather, iodine, Worcestershire sauce, cocoa, aspirin. The finish is bittered well and a smoky lingering like a fire put out stains my palate. Overall: this is a rather exotic brew with defined barrel influence although mild. It’s refined rather than over the top and very delicious indeed.

tried the 12,16 and 30 side by side (thanks Tim & Suzanne!)

Aroma is smoky and peat like, with some woodiness, char and malt sweetness. Flavor is very similar to a mildly smoked porter with a hint of whiskey. Not so much vanilla / oak whiskey like some other barrel fermented beers, this is more like real whiskey. Much better than most whiskey barrel beers imho. The whiskey notes in the 12 were more prevalent than in the 16 or 30.

overall its a good beer, but their some serious flaws. first its too thin, and their seems to be too much wood flavor that has been absorb. otherwise its a very strong beer to enjoy.

The aroma is very wooden and a little smoky with hints of malt and whiskey. The appearance almost black with virtually no head, just some bubbles. The flavor is like the aroma. The palate is thin. This is a disappointment.

Near black with a hint of brown on the edges. Smallish, thick head of small tan bubbles. Glass coating vail of lace. Dark roasted malts with a background of whisky oak, iodine and smokey peat. I’m struggling with the aroma, in that I am enjoying it more as a whisky scent than a brew scent. Dark chocolate flavors in the front with a touch of pale malt sweetness. A little light fruit and vanilla. Mild whisky, I’m reminded of a single malt that has has a bit too much water added to cut it. FInish has some more dark chocolate and and some roasted malt. Dry linger that makes me search for something more. A very nice brew, but not as complex and earthshaking as the price may indicate.

Bottle from Brandon. Thanks. I have seen this in the stores, but never bought any- now that I know it is aged in a Scotch barrel, I will probably seek out the rest. Very dark color, black almost, with a little bit of a tan head on it. Smell is smoky peat, fruity, chocolate, some alcohol, but mostly dominated by peat. Taste is smooth and very much like drinking a scotch. The Highland Park really shows in this beer, and since I drink nothing but scotch, it is a very good thing to see a beer aged in a Scotch cask. More brewers need to catch on and do this. I could only imagine how much better this would be if it was actually aged in a good Scotch cask. Very good stuff, a no brainer for me. Thanks Brandon.