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Harviestoun Ola Dubh (16 Year Old)

Percentile
98
overall
Brewed by Harviestoun
Style: Old Ale

Alva, Central, Scotland

bottled
common

on tap
available

Broad Distribution
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RatingsAverageScoreABVStyle PctlServe in
2783.82/5.03.8/5.08%96English pint, Snifter
Commercial Description:
Ola Dubh (or ‘Black Oil’) is a collaboration between Harviestoun Brewery and Highland Park, Distiller of the Year*. It is based on Harviestoun’s award-winning Old Engine Oil. With more than a stylistic nod to the classic Imperial Porters (and Stouts) of the nineteenth century, this deliciously rich, dark, 8% a.b.v. beer is the first ale to be aged in malt whisky casks from a named distillery and, with traceable casks and numbered bottles, the rest with genuine provenance. Ola Dubh will initially be available in three different expressions; the initial release will be of small batches aged in casks formerly used to mature Highland Park 12 Year Old, Highland Park 16 Year Old and Highland Park 30 Year Old. Further variants are planned for the future. Ola Dubh is, in the words of beer afficionado Owen D.L. Barstow: “The most interesting new British beer I have tried in years.”
 Most Recent Top Raters Highest Ratings Who's Rated This?  
 Drink4Satan (585), Bristol, Rhode Island, USA
4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
9/103/58/104/516/20
Oct 30, 2008  
Pours an oily, flat-looking black colour with some large bubbles clinging to the edges of the glass. The aroma is very rich and sweet with definitive notes of smoke, chocolate, dried fruits, and caramelized sugar, coffee and oak. The flavour has a very distinctive scotch presence with loads of smokey goodness that are noticeable instantaneously. There are sweet flavours of chocolate, cocoa and some dried fruits, though much less than in the aroma. The palate is a bit watery, with short residence time. The hints of smoke linger the longest.


 travita (1908), Frisco, Texas, USA
3.8 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/103/58/103/516/20
Oct 29, 2008  
Smell is smoke, beef jerky, whiskey, and oak wood. Look is dark almost black with some brown highlights. Decent tan head. Taste is dried fruits, oak, smoke, malts, and roasty.


 PilsnerPeter (2612), Flushing, New York, USA
4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/58/104/516/20
Oct 24, 2008  
Bottle: Pours dark with not light coming through, and a dense creamy tan head. Nice aroma with some rich cocoa, mild plummy notes, smooth and mild oak, roast and purple grape skin notes. Has a great silky feel in the palate. The fore flavor is fruity with purple grape, plummy notes, sweet-ish tobacco, cocoa roast, earthy peat, mild smokiness and toasted oak. Remains drinkable in it’s tasty richness. Well done and nicely integrated character.


 Papsoe (14893), Frederiksberg, Denmark
3.7 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/103/58/103/515/20
Oct 21, 2008  
(Bottle 33 cl) Courtesy of Skyview. Dark brown with a reddish hue and a rough, light brown head. Burned, smoked peaty whisky touch in the aroma. Full-bodied with burned malts and distinct peaty malt accents. Some malt bitterness in the finish. 100908


 jhumphries69 (722), Tyrone, Georgia, USA
4.5 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
9/104/59/104/519/20
Oct 13, 2008  
33cl bottle. Pours opaque black with a thin, persistent tan head. The aroma is very smoky with peat, molasses, and dark fruit. The flavor starts slightly sweet with chocolate, dark fruit, vanilla, some peat, and some Scotch whiskey notes. This beer is complex: smoke, thick oakiness, raisins, and chocolate. Decadence is an understatement. The finish is somewhat dry from alcohol but thick and sweet with smoke, peat, and an interesting fruity and earthy bitterness. The mouthfeel is thick, ropey, and creamy with soft carbonation and a drying sensation all over the mouth from alcohol. Overall: wow! Decadent, interesting, and uber-complex.


 EHopper (274), Minnesota, USA
4.1 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/58/104/517/20
Oct 13, 2008  
Black with aroma of coffee and fine tobacco. Well balanced flavor of burnt wood, sweet malt, dark, dark fruit and a bit of slight whisky and bitter aftertaste. Very, very good.


 ChristianScheffel (4481), Odense, Denmark
3.9 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/103/58/104/516/20
Oct 11, 2008  
Black with a small off-white head. Roasted malt aroma with licorice and some peat smoke. Smooth and complex flavour with peat and roasted malts.


 Indulgence (141), Ajo, Arizona, USA
4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/57/105/516/20
Oct 6, 2008  
No 15498, Sept 07. Strongly smokey, salty, peaty and roasty... very dry on the finish... leaves you smacking your lips and thirsty... smooth, but just a scotch flavor bomb, not my cup of tea.



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