Harviestoun Ola Dubh (30 Year Old)

Bottle number 02982 (Thanks Argo0!) Vertical of 12 – 16 – 30 years. Aroma on the 30 is milder than both the 12 and 16 with notes of molasses, vanilla, whiskey (didn’t really get this one on the 12 or 16), mild coffee and funny enough the dried fruit is non-existent. The flavors are mostly as before though as with the 12 and 16 some flavors have gone or faded and others have become stronger. The molasses is now writ large and vanilla has come to the forefront to almost dominate. The dried fruitiness is now completely gone replaced with coffee and chocolate flavors. The finish is drying and less sweet than either the 12 or the 16. Overall this is a fantastic series of beers and I would encourage others to try a vertical as it can be quite enlightening as to the similarities and differences. Excellent beers overall.

(33cl bottle, #02982, Sept07, vertical with the 12 & 16) Black body with small, quickly dissipating tan head. Aroma is moderately sweet, vanilla, chocolate, molasses, some whisky/peat, plum/raisin, roast,. Taste is moderately sweet, roasty molasses, some chocolate, vanilla, light whisky/peat. Smooth medium body, seemingly lighter than the 12 or 16, almost watery by comparison -- dangerously drinkable. Scotch is complementary rather than overpowering.

Drank as a vertical of 12, 16, and 30: Pour is opaque black with a thin sticky tan head...smell is roasty chocolate and vanilla with hints of smoke....strongly sweet and roasty flavor with lots of vanilla...not smoke put a vegetal peaty flavor towards the finish....

My 1000th rating. 11.2 oz. brown bottle, comes in a special black box, with a metal seal around the neck. Bottle number 09563. Bottled Sept. 2007. Poured out an inky black color, with a 1/2" thick mocha colored head. Aromas are of whiskey barrel, Highland Scotch, vanilla, roasted espresso beans. Flavors are of Highland Scotch, oak barrel, roasted coffee beans, vanilla, burnt sugars, earthy hops. Thick mouthfeel, rich and chewy. Flavors linger on your tongue for a good long while after drinking it. Damn good beer by any standard. Good pick for my 1000th rating too.

Cask at Spuyten Duyvil. Snifter. Lightly smoaky, chocolate, cocoa, scotch aroma. Almost no barrel. Palate and flavor are thin. More whiskey here, but still not great. Little complexity. I wont be buying the other two.