Orkney Dark Island (Bottle)

Brewed by Orkney (Sinclair Breweries)
Style: Old Ale
Stromness, Orkney, Highlands & Islands, Scotland

Label looks like a cheap bottle of rum. Bit of a phenolic aroma with a bit of band-aid thrown in. Nice dark black appearance with a mocha colored head and decent lacing - one of the redeeming qualities of this one. Has bit of a smoky, bitter quality to it that just does not sit right. Not as malty as a Scottish Ale should be - a bit watery. A bit astringent as well. Overall, not one of the better Scottish Ales I have had.

This was a little bit of a disappointment. Mild faint smokey aroma. Very good appearance -- beer, bottle and label. Medium-bodied. Dry, coffee-bitter with some char. Medium-light hops, a little tart and peaty. Was looking for something with a hairier chest.

Nice color, thick flavoring. Nothing terribly special. Maybe I should have a few more and rate it again sometime.

Pours with a three-fingered very light, brown head that fades slowly and leaves good lace. A nice deep, ruby color. Nose has just a hint of roasted coffee. Starts hoppy/malty and finishes with a hint of malt/hops and just a hint of bitterness. Very good carbonation. $3.99 for 500ml.

11.2 oz bottle, pint glass. Tall, foamy, rocky, tan head sits on a deep brown body with redish edges. Enormous, molasses, dark chocolate, black coffee malt; no hops; oak, vanilla, port, maple syrup aromas. The aroma reminds me of DFH Immort Ale. Heavily sweet flavor becomes a moderately sweet, lightly bitter, moderately acidic finish. All the aromas come through in the flavor, but the aftertaste is only chocolate, vanilla, and maple. Medium-heavy body, watery/oily texture, lively carbonation. This beer seems somewhat thin for the flavors it contains. The bottom line is: a great rich, deep, malty, flavorful ale and at 4.6% ABV a nice autumn session beer.

(Bottle) Dark brown ale with a tan colored head. Good taste with hints of nuts, carmel, and chocolate.

Dark brown colour with a thin off-white head. Very strong smokey smell with hints of tobacco and spices. Medium to Light-bodied; Strong smokey flavour with a bit of maltiness. Aftertaste is fairly bland, a bit of the tobacco and spice characteristics are noticeable. Overall: alright, but not great. I bought this 33 cL bottle at Green's Beverages in Atlanta, Georgia and sampled it on 27-September-2003.

Dark brown color with a tan head, nice lacing down the glass. Slight nutty roasted caramel sweetness and smoke in the nose. Roasted nuts, caramel, smoke, and some chocolate on the tongue. I tasted some sour fruity notes too. Kind of soapy aftertaste. Very easy drinking Scottish Ale here.