Ola Dubh - 30 Year Old Special Reserve
Harviestoun in Alva, Clackmannanshire, Scotland 🏴
Traditional Beer - Old Ale Regular|
Score
7.89
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This beer is 8% ABV in bottle, 10.5% in cask and keg.
We make Ola Dubh 30 by taking our Old Engine Oil (amped up to 10.5%) and aging it for up to 6 months in casks that previously held Highland Park’s phenomenal 30 Year Old single malt whisky.
Ola Dubh (pronounced ‘ola-doo’ and Gaelic for ‘black oil’) was conceived in 2007. It was the first ale to be matured in whisky barrels from a named distillery and, with traceable casks and numbered bottles, it is a beer with real provenance.
This amazing brew has been aged in selected oak casks formerly used to mature Highland Park 30 Year Old Single Malt Whisky, adding complementary whisky notes to our chocolatey, bittersweet beer.
Ola Dubh 30 pours deep brown with a burgundy flush and a head the colour of milled oatmeal. On the nose it has gently-finessed top notes of fresh heather and honey, subtly toasted malts and vanilla with balancing hints of red fruits and a distant, beguiling smoke. The flavour has elegantly-subtle developing wine-like notes; from bitter chocolate and espresso beans into to a sustained, oaked conclusion. Extended, oaky finish with pine resin, juniper, perfumed honey and traces of peat.
HOPS: Galena, East Kent Goldings, Fuggles
MALTS: Roast barley, oats
We make Ola Dubh 30 by taking our Old Engine Oil (amped up to 10.5%) and aging it for up to 6 months in casks that previously held Highland Park’s phenomenal 30 Year Old single malt whisky.
Ola Dubh (pronounced ‘ola-doo’ and Gaelic for ‘black oil’) was conceived in 2007. It was the first ale to be matured in whisky barrels from a named distillery and, with traceable casks and numbered bottles, it is a beer with real provenance.
This amazing brew has been aged in selected oak casks formerly used to mature Highland Park 30 Year Old Single Malt Whisky, adding complementary whisky notes to our chocolatey, bittersweet beer.
Ola Dubh 30 pours deep brown with a burgundy flush and a head the colour of milled oatmeal. On the nose it has gently-finessed top notes of fresh heather and honey, subtly toasted malts and vanilla with balancing hints of red fruits and a distant, beguiling smoke. The flavour has elegantly-subtle developing wine-like notes; from bitter chocolate and espresso beans into to a sustained, oaked conclusion. Extended, oaky finish with pine resin, juniper, perfumed honey and traces of peat.
HOPS: Galena, East Kent Goldings, Fuggles
MALTS: Roast barley, oats
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7.6/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
Bottle. Very sweet beer. Light smoke. Sweet chocolate. Coconut. Oats. Good example of a cask aged imperial stout.
Tried
from Bottle
on 05 Dec 2009
at 07:00
7.9/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8.5
Bottle at Sorbon, Stockholm. Pours black with a light brown head. Light smoked whisky, chocolate and coffe. Smooth, big and balanced for a whisky cask aged beer. Great way to end a heavy dinner!
Tried
from Bottle
on 04 Dec 2009
at 15:49
9.2/10
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Appearance 10
Aroma 9
Flavor 9
Texture 10
Overall 9
Rating 2000. Sampled from an 11.2 oz brown bottle this beer poured thick, black and oily with a medium sized dark brown head. The aroma was full of chocolate, vanilla, wood, tobacco and touches of floral and fruity hops. The flavor was woody, malty and had notes of port wined, vanilla, smoke, tobacco, cream and malted milk. Subtle, refined and complex. The finish was long and interesting. Smooth and creamy body. Excellent.
Tried
from Bottle
on 30 Nov 2009
at 19:56
8/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 10
Overall 8
Cask at Churchkey. Pours a rich, dark color with a tan head. Aroma of vanilla, malts. Flavor was smooth, refreshing (even at 8%) and richly enjoyable. I expected something a bit more harsh and was happily surprised with the beverage.
Tried
from Cask
on 19 Nov 2009
at 15:56
9.3/10
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Appearance 10
Aroma 8
Flavor 10
Texture 10
Overall 9
I was afraid of this beer at first, but my fear turned out to be unfounded. Appearance was jet black with giant tan bubbles that rapidly settled. Aroma reminded me of a single malt whisky. Taste had very light smoke, some wood, a bit of caramel, and a finish of Lagavulin. Amazing progression, with the whisky flavor only at the very end. Would like to lay a bottle or two down for a year and see what happens.
Tried
from Bottle
on 13 Nov 2009
at 16:49
8.4/10
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Appearance 10
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8.5
330 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. Bottle No. 01232, March 2009. ABV is 8.0%. Pitch black colour, big tan head. Strong aroma of whisky cask, notes of peat, tar and vanilla. Intense but well rounded flavour of malt whisky, oak, malty sweetness, coffee and tar. Moderately bitter aftertaste.
Tried
from Bottle
on 19 Sep 2009
at 20:04
7.6/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
Bottle sample at a tasting. Really dark brown to black-colored with a slightly bubbly brown head. Aroma full of scotch, smoke, oak, alcohol, chocolate, liqueur pralines, fruits and caramel notes. Sweet flavor of roasted malt, some coffee notes, smoked wood, some dark fruits and great dark chocolate. Full viscous mouthfeel.
Tried
from Bottle
on 28 Aug 2009
at 06:35
7.9/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
At a tasting, Thanks DSG, Small head with lots of big bubbles which dissapears quite quickly, deep dark brown but not completly opaque, fire smoke dominating the aroma, with barnyard notes, dates andcharred wood, flavours of smoke and brown sugar syrup, alcohol almost non existent, which is a great suprise. excellent beer, many components resembling a good single malt.
Tried
on 27 Aug 2009
at 08:55
7.6/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 6
Overall 7.5
Bottled, Beer Hunters (#03519, Mar 2009). Opaque black/brown color with small brown head. Oak, whisky, some vanilla and licorice in the nose. Flavor is roasted, it has tobacco ash and licorice with vanilla. Very dry mouthfeel. Vanilla and oak are dominating the aftertaste. Balanced flavors, perhaps just a bit too carbonated. Sampled side by side with Ola Dubh 40.
Tried
from Bottle
on 28 Jun 2009
at 04:14
8.2/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 9
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
Pours dark in color with thin tan head. The aroma is rich and inviting. I can draw on this all night long. I get rich earthiness mixing with caramel, a bit of smokiness and sticky grape jam. Wow! Smells just like yum. The taste has a peat note that must be what seemed like smoke and earthiness in the nose. I also get a bit of a distinctive smoke note to go along with roasted malts, chocolate, a hint of wood and dark fruity goodness. Wow, smooth and very very nice.
Tried
from Can
on 25 Jun 2009
at 22:35