Orkney Skull Splitter (Bottle)

Brewed by Orkney (Sinclair Breweries)
Style: Barley Wine
Stromness, Orkney, Highlands & Islands, Scotland

Hazy red-brown with two fingers of off white head. Floral and fruity aroma, caramel. Taste is big caramel, some apples, brown sugar, very sweet bordering on slick or cloying.

Bottle at The Penguin’s Arms, back to back with Stone Smoked Porter. Dessert sweet but not oppressive aroma swilling with ripe figgy fruit, vanilla pod, apple strudel and custard, toffee. Some seriously noseable apple, raisin and nutmeg spiciness in there with a yeastiness not unlike White Shield. Squeeze of old sock. Straight away I like this more than the Stone. Glinting ruby with a heavy beige lid climbing up the sides of the tulip. Mouth can’t quite match that but has a go with warm figgy toffee malt sweetness, the same again, alcohol, raisin, oak and vanilla. Some soapy bitter orange hints, hop or yeast-derived, caramel, chestnut, nuts, dab of dankness. Thick and fruity but unsticky with a dip of liquorice parting bitterness. Tasty, rounded, full-bodied BW.

Dark Red/Amber in color. Originally purchased because it was toted with the word bacon in the title. I figured I couldn’t go wrong with bacon. A pretty decent beer.

Pours red/brown with substantial tan coloured head. Nose has dark fruit and nuts with significant molasses. Palate translates well, slightly sweet malt brings caramel/toffee and rich fruit (dates,figs, raisins) Finishes with a touch of hop bitterness and abv driven spice. Malt sweetnees lingers but is very feint. All aspects in perfect balance!

Pours a dark amber color with a small off white head that leaves medium lacing. Has a nice aroma with a wonderful taste and a greatly smooth body that is just perfect. Great beer that will creep up on you (buzz ways)

Bottle. Pours a ruby colour with tanned head. Initial aroma is of toffee and caramel, quite hoppy, with soft notes of spiced fruit and alcohol. Smooth and full bodied, sweet toffee flavours, plum, fruit, good presence of hops and a nice malty finish. A really good beer.

11 ounce bottle - $2.79 at Total Wine & More in Kennesaw, Georgia. Appearance: Pours a clear, dark reddish-brown body with a smallish, off-white head. Smell: Sweet-smelling, peat-laden nose with notes of caramel, chocolate, vinous fruits, and cooked sugars. Taste: Pale malts stirred up with pleasingly, sweet tastes of dark caramel, sugar-coated peat, brown sugar, and milk chocolate. Slightly warming alcohol presence; sure, it’s noticeable, but it’s not ever glaring. Raisiny fruitiness. Mildly spicy hops and bitterness. Finishes semi-dry with an enduring taste of candied fruit. Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Medium carbonation. Slightly sticky mouthfeel. Drinkability: A nice, satisfying, sweet-tasting brew. It had been some years since I last had one and shame on me for letting it go so long, really.

A great brew for an 8.5% it hides the alcohol pretty well pours a great amber color with a small amount of white head fruity aroma it hits your first as way too sweet with a dry hoppy finish after that you adjust and its good for a pint or two