Harviestoun Old Engine Oil Special Reserve

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

bottle from liquor store down the street. aroma is malty, a little roast, some whiskey character/booziness. looks opaque dark with small tan head. medium/heavy body, with flavor dominated by malty complexity, some aspect of roast. good.

bottle. Stark opaque black with virtually no head and obvious carbonation in the pour. There’s a huge sweet Scotch aroma that I can smell before I even bring it to my nose. Upon closer inspection, I detect a slight soy sauce aroma as well. The first noticeable thing is the thinner mouthfeel than I had expected from the thick black appearance. Good flavor though, begins very malty sweet and fades to a pleasant woody taste. Really obvious whisky flavor here and just dry enough.

Bottle. Pours opaque black with ruby on the extreme edges and a very thin tan head. The whiskey cask is very prominent in the aroma, accompanied by extra-earthy malts. The flavor is bourbon, tannins, dry raisins, and a touch of soy-sauce saltiness, with a very warming finish. The palate is thinner than I would have guessed, but it works well with the flavor.

poured a nearly solid black, but thin in appearance, not the viscous look that a stout would have. no head at all. smells of chocolate, port wine and a bit of whiskey. the whisky was a little overbearing in the flavor, as that and the port wine character overwhelmed everthing else. the chocolate became muted and the only other flavor characteristic was some wet hay flavored hops. this actually reminded me of a less flavorful version of SA triplebock, where less flavorful=not as good.

Couleur noire et opaque, peu de mousse, quelques grosses bulles savonneuse. Arôme très présent de baril de whisky, de bois et de fruits secs sous un bon fond de malt. Tout à propos des saveurs de whisky en bouche, celles si sont omniprésente et côtoient pommes meurtries, balsamique et quelques indications d’oxydation. Carbonatation presque inexistante, texture huileuse, corps d’épaisseur moyenne. Semble très britannique pour son ensemble.

whiskey, whiskey, whiskey. the whiskey cask add too much whiskey and it almost becomes unpleasant, but is still a bit overwhelming. it’s supposed to compliment the beer, not blow it away.

Deep smokey aroma with a bit of soy, muscat, and mineral oil. Head is thin and floats like an oil slick. Palate is a bit thin which makes the beer lighter tasting and reduces the punch of the strong flavors of this beer. Prune juice, granny smith apples, and soy mix with a bity of spice. Quite an interesting beer! The cask time adds

Pours an oily black, much like it’s un-aged brother. Head is oily tan. Aroma is smoky and very much a bourbon bouquet, lots of sweet mash smell, some vanilla, and a sour note. Flavor is somewhat in line with a baltic porter, though alcohol and whiskey flavor dominate for much of the ordeal. Palate is sufficient, though chewier would be better. Very good.