Harviestoun Ola Dubh (16 Year Old)

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

Pours an easy to see through black with a small tan head. Aroma of wood, dark chocolate, honey, toffee, raspberry, light coffee, and just a bit of sweetish smoke. Tastes right on with dark chocolate, toffee, honey, wood, acidic coffee, vanilla, herb/spice or something; definitely a lot of whiskey notes, but no heat. Finishes with a gentle toast, coffee bean, earth, char-like smoke, and wood. Dry on the throat. Medium bodied, almost heavy, average carbonation, slick coating mouthfeel. This is great. Whiskey notes with NO heat, not too heavy, big flavors and subtle flavors together as one, there’s just nothing to dislike here. Awesome.

bottle 9/07. pours a dark black sticking with it’s name. little tan head - which leaves nothing behind. nice aroma filled with molasses, dark fruits and a touch of alcohol. very thin body and kind of one dimensional, although that one dimension is quite enjoyable. some sweetness, a bit of vanilla and the whisky comes through on the finish. I was hoping for a bit more body out of this one.... but overall a very enjoyable ale. Not worth the price tag though.

Starting with the solid old engine oil as a base the wood of the 16yo HP works very well, just adding complexity with smoke, vanilla and light heather. Different but no better than the 12.

Pours pitch black and completely opaque with a thin .5 finger brown head that quickly fades into a lasting ring. Not much in the way of lacing, just some sporadic small spots. Strong roasted malt aroma with a decent amount of malt whiskey that doesn’t overtake the other aromas. Dark chocolate, roasted coffee bean and roasted nut notes. Again, the aroma is dominated by a deep roasted maltiness but there is a good bit of oak and whiskey to balance things out. Again the flavor is dominated by a deep roasted maltiness with lots of complexity and bitter dark chocolate flavor. However, they whiskey presence is much more prominent in the flavor than in the aroma. Lots of hot whiskey alcohol warmth but fortunately the other flavors still shine through. Not one-dimensional at all. Plenty of roasted coffee bean, burnt toast, hazelnut and dark chocolate notes. Sligthtly sweet because of the strong alcohol, whiskey and chocolate malt components but is overall nicely balanced with even some subtle hops, resulting in a big beer that is quite drinkable. Recommended.

Forgot the bottle number...7xxx. Like the previous rater clearly states....there ain’t much difference between this one and the 12 yr version. If nothing else it seemed less boozey....still a distinct woody whiskey character just not as forceful. Upon pouring the tan head was fuller and stayed around for a bit longer also. Definitely smooth.....and like the 12 yr it has a nice alcohol warmth from start to finish. Very tasty indeed.

Definite Scotch notes on the aroma. Pours black as your soul with almost no head. Lots of chocolate notes here but it is so chewy and complex. Really good beer with a lot going on in it. I want another one just to savor all the flavors going on.

Bottle# 10884 (2007) Courtesy of the sloth. Pours black and gloopy. Nose is pungent and remeniscent of a wet cellar in some old mansion: Caramel malts, wet wood and a touch of whiskey spilled on the floor...and some blackberries? Body is rich, smooth and surprisingly only Medium +. Mouthfeel is on the short side. Head is revived easily by the cat merely headbutting the small table for attention. Lingering whiskey bite at finish where the normal hop finish is expected. Some droopy lacing. Wonder how this will taste with a few years of dust on the bottle.

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.