Harviestoun Ola Dubh (30 Year Old)

A vigorous pour into my 25cl tulip creates a three finger thick, nicely browned, concentrated tan colored head. The beer is quite dark, in fact it is just about black in its opaqueness but does show a hint of ruby to it around the edges it held up directly to the light. The Whisky is noticeable in the aroma as I pour this (spicy and boozy), but really starts to shine once I focus on the nose. A rich, peat driven, salty, smokiness broods with deeply roasted malts that provide a burnt smokiness of their own as well as espresso like roast character. The peat-smoke combines with the sweeter side of the malt aromas to give this an intense, focused, rich, concentrated, dark malt aroma. The barrel is certainly the dominant note in the aroma, but I like the dimension that the peat-reek brings to this beer.

Sweet malt notes of burnt caramel up front meld into a smoky, salty peat character that continues to carry a bit of malt sweetness through to a finish that takes on a burnt grain note that seems to get just a touch of a burnt vegetal note. Dusty cocoa flavors play quite a prominent role up front, but then this morphs into a rich mix of concentrated dark malt and peat smoke. I like how the peat smoke mixes with the roasted grain character in the finish; flavors of smoky, roasted coffee beans, . By American Stout standards this has a very light roast character, this is definitely a good thing in my book as it allows for other complexities to come through. Underneath the peat there is some dark fruit notes that struggle to be noticed at times, but definitely contribute with flavors reminiscent dried prunes and dried figs that have been left under the broiler long enough to lightly char. The heft of this beer is not overly heavy, nor is it thin, but it might help if it had a touch more richness to it; it does have enough heft to allow this to coat the palate as it facilitates the sipping quality of this brew.

The flavor is much more balanced between Barrel influences and the base beer than the aroma is, though I would still say that the peat might be the most distinct part of this beer (though the dark grain is really right up there).

Purchased: Plaza Liquors, Tucson AZ

Bottle, thanks to WeeHeavySD for sharing it. Pours a deep, dark brown with no real head. Huge aroma, of scotch, malt, and wood with a hint of sweetness, like molasses. Taste is rich, of malt, scotch, and wood, with meaty and earthy notes. Lingering rich scotch-malt flavors. Delicious.

Bottle from Sams in Durham. Viscous black pour with a fluffy brown head. Oak and bourbon on the nose. Sweet fruity flavor upfront giving to chocolate, oak and bourbon. Long bitter finish

Review bottle from brewery. The subtlest of the 2007 expressions in terms of whisky character. Very dark ruby-black, some fine fawn head, vine fruits and cake aroma at first with woody whisky and plummy malt developing and a hint of scented orange, full malty candied peel palate with a gently fizz, subtle whisky, chocolatey but not so much as the others. A woody dry fruity finish with smooth malt, late bitter green herbs and roast. Excllent.

Bottle number 07576. Pours a deep and dark brown body with a surprisingly sturdy tan head that has some legs. Delicate sheets of lace decorate the goblet. Aroma begins with chocolate, followed by vanilla and smoky old wood. Scotch whiskey is evident. Exquisitely soft and smooth on the palate. Body is medium full with a subdued carbonation. Taste is complex, as expected. Chocolate, Scotch whiskey, vanilla, walnut nuttiness, and some dark roasty malt bitterness. Faint hints of anise and raisins underneath. Really a treat!