Orkney Skull Splitter (Bottle)

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

Dark copper reddish pour with thin off-white head. Pretty strong aroma of fresh bread, specifically hot dog buns. British hops there, and a good bit of sweet toffee malt. Slight peat. Not bad at all, but certainly not life-changing.

33cl brown bottle. Pours a muddy caramel brown with thin, patchy, creamy head. Smells of butterscotch, peat roasted malt, dried alfalfa, sticky dried pitted fruit and oily hop resins. Flavor characteristics are similar to those of the aroma. Mouth feel has a wonderful rich buttery diacetyl character. Bitterness is low but noticeable and gently compliments the rich malt flavor. Alcohol is warming but barely noticeable in flavor profile. I find it strange Skullsplitter is listed as a barley wine. I always viewed it as a scotch ale or old ale. Regardless it is very good.

Attractive dark ruby red color, translucent, thin tan head. Beautiful nose as well, fruity, grape, toffee, plums. The flavor is malty, toffee, caramel, raisins, other fruit. Very pleasant. Finish has a strong alcohol component, very low on hops, and a sort of a salty quality. Not a bad finish, just a tad unusual. Good rendering of the style overall. American Barleywines tend to be over hopped on occasion. This is a decent offering (little bit on the pricey side.)

POurs reddish brown with a decent head that leaves light lacing on the glass. Aroma is malty sweet with lots of caramel and dark fruits Medium carbonation allows sweet toffee caramel flavor to coat the mouth. Raisins and figs are noticeable. Very syrupy and close to cloying on the tongue Overall a fine beer that borders on being a little too syrupy.

Pours brownish amber with a decent off white head. Aroma is big sweet caramel malt. Taste is big and malty, with big caramel malt and sweet maple flavor with a faint warming and bitter finish. Very good.

330ml Bottle: Aroma of malts, dark fruits, raisins, plums, slight yeast, dates, and a hint of vanilla. Poured deep orange/ruby/chestnut brown in color with a small, dense, off-white head that lasted throughout as a film on top. Clear. Slightly sparkling. Flavor is medium sweet. Tastes of dark ripe fruits, malts, toffee, slight nuts, slight wood, raisins, dates, plums, and caramel. Medium body. Coating, syrupy texture. Average carbonation. Sweet, malty, dark ripe fruit finish.

Bottle. Pours a ruby brown with an off white head. Big hoppy nose, grassy earthy, hints of honey, salty with some over ripe fruit. Okay.

Pours dark ruby with a touch of brown, a very tall, old paper tan head that lasts for a long time and leaves good lacing. Aroma is fruity, straw, sweet grass, caramel, dried pitted fruit, toffee, and slightly burnt, homemade maple syrup. Flavor has caramel, toffee, candied yam, ginger, salt, tobacco, cherry, alcohol and dried peaches. After all of that some more toffee, sour white cherries, salty cheese, and bittter, herbal hops step in for the finish. Honestly I was not expecting a barleywine from a Scottish brewery, but they really do an interesting rendition.