Harviestoun Old Engine Oil Special Reserve

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

The aroma has chocolate, toasted malt, molasses, and wood. The appearance is dark brown with a small tan head. The flavor is like the aroma. The palate is thick. Overall this is nice but the aftertaste is astringent.

Pours an opaque black with a thick tan head. As I was pouring this, the word "gorgeous" hit my mind. Like the beer soul I possess deep down, the nose spoke out. Strong malty wood with thicker cocoa qualities and an overall roasted character. Flavor is rich with chocolate character and a strong malt flavor. So meaty and earthy I almost want to start chewing it as I drink it. Feel is great. Small level of bubble and a nice smooth and thick liquid feel. I am shocked. Last night I tried the standard Old Engine Oil and had slightly higher expectations for this one. But geez. In no way did I expect to be hit with only my 2nd flat 5 rating as of yet. Unbelievable. Blows the hell out of the standard Old Engine Oil...and most other brews at that too.

Vintage 2002 (6% ABV). Roasty and bitter, lots of alcohol taste (is that from being aged in Whiskey casks? the alcohol % isn’t all that high). Dry finish. Too much alcohol taste for me but otherwise nice.

(bottle) Pours dark black with a tan head. Aroma is strong of roasted malt, oak, coffee, chocolate, and also some alcohol in the nose that wasn’t too pleasant. Taste was very sweet, almost like a chocolate syrup with a nice roasted coffee finish that lasts for awhile.

[Bottle] Pours black with a dark tan head. Aroma is roasted malt, whiskey, chocolate. Chocolate comes out very nicely in the finish. I could have gone a little higher with this, but the alcohol in the smell was just way too strong to.

12 oz bottle from mgumby10; nose of coffee, chocolate, and caramel malts, more like a stout, no fruitiness, toffee, or molasses notes; opaque black, brown edges, and a good sized cinnamon tan head; flavor has some chocolate, woody, and coffee notes, but also some dark fruitiness and light toffee and hop bitterness. Actually very good!

330. Pours black with a thin tan head. Heavy vanilla creamy oak nose. Light, still, slightly creamy and somehow still watery body. Zesty smoke notes linger around the mid-palate, and there are some genuinely nice phenolics, but this isn’t an especially accomplished BA stout...maybe because it’s not a stout. Bits of light red tree fruit, smoke, and a tiny hint of chalk on the mid-palate. Not much finish. Not quite the tour de force I might have hoped for.

A very solid beer. Whisky and burnt malt on the nose, but well balanced between the two (as opposed to dominating whisky). Dark black color with brown head. Basically the same flavors in the smooth body as in the nose.