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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?  
 Barrios (858), Nashville, Tennessee, USA
4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/58/104/516/20
Jul 31, 2009  
Pours a dark brown body with a thin ring of tan head. Awesome flavors of smoke and bacon. Little dry on the finish.


 Beer2000 (1785), Kristiansand, Norway
4.2 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
9/105/58/104/516/20
Jul 30, 2009  
330 ml bottle. Black body with a rich, creamy beige head. Aroma of roasted malt and vanilla. Flavor is smooth, rich, sweet, dark malt, roasted, dry fruit, oak, hops, vanilla, molasses and whisky. Full bodied and a long and warming aftertaste. A masterpiece.


 Ober (1188), Bommelerwaard, Netherlands
4.2 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/58/104/518/20
Jul 29, 2009  
(Bottle 33cl nr.61795) A black colored beer, with a thick foamy beige head. The aroma of roasted malts, oak with dark fruits. Hints of vanilla and chocolate. The taste is dry bitter, burned/roasted malts, chocolate, bitter fruits. Notes of vanilla with some whiskey in the back. The aftertaste is bitter and dry.


 danielcurtis81 (886), San Diego, California, USA
3.9 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/57/104/516/20
Jul 13, 2009  
Bottle. Pours a deep midnight black with a disappearing brown head. Noise is rich oak, dried cherries and cranberries, and whiskey. Flavors are summer sausage at first then the whiskey comes to the front with a malty-ness to it. Really smooth mouth. I dig it, I think I liked the 12 better (that is all I have tried so far).


 BossHossBikes (147), Tennessee, USA
3.6 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/103/57/103/516/20
Jul 13, 2009  
Bottle. Pours black with a tan head that diminishes rather quickly. The aroma has a lot of molasses and cocoa with a slight hint of whiskey. It’s somewhat thick with some mild carbonation. The initial flavour is the sweet molasses and cocoa. The brew doesn’t seem to have any change in flavour as it warms. On the contrary, it feels like it’s watering down. The carbonation also seems to affect the flavour if you allow the brew to sit too long. That’s kind of disappointing. As the brew passes bitter cocoa becomes more apparent with light notes of dark fruits. A nice sweet molasses counters the bitterness. Whiskey is somewhat evident and becomes a more defining flavour towards the finish. Alcohol also becomes more apparent towards the finish as well. The finish is lightly dry. This is really good, but I happen to think that it’s somewhat overrated.


 tarjei (1745), Bryne, Norway
4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/58/104/516/20
Jul 8, 2009  
33 cl bottle at Cardinal, Stavanger - shared with Roger on my birthday. (Bottle no 60862, jan. 2009). Dark brown, almost black color,nice but moderate brown head. Aroma is whisky, whisky, whisky. Flavor is the same, with sweetness, dried fruit. Medium dry finish.


 liinis (714), Helsinki, Finland
4.3 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
9/104/59/104/517/20
Jul 8, 2009  
Excellent beer. Its a combination of two of my very best delights an excellent beer and an excellent whisky. Old engine oil and Highland park. Super rich in aroma and flavor. Strong, warming and full.


 radiomgb (1957), Peterborough, Ontario, Canada
3.6 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/57/103/515/20
Jul 5, 2009  
Black in colour with a thin brown coloured head, some light lacing. The aroma is quite smoky with lots of malt, some alcohol and roasted chocolate. The flavour is quite smooth, some bakers chocolate, smoke, light sweetness, very light alcohol. Smooth mouthfeel, medium body, mild carbonation. Finishes smooth and warming.

Slightly better than the 12 Year, very smooth.

330ml bottle from Sahara Mart in Bloomington, Indiana.
Opened on December 19, 2008.
Bottle #06613, Bottled September 2007.



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