Ola Dubh - 12 Year Old Special Reserve
(has 2 batches)
Harviestoun in Alva, Clackmannanshire, Scotland 🏴
Traditional Beer - Old Ale Regular|
Score
7.64
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Ola Dubh, meaning ‘Black Oil’ in Gaelic, is craftily created by taking our Old Engine Oil and maturing it in 12 year old Highland Park whisky casks. The process is far from simple, but the result is a beautiful brew with complimentary whisky notes and a chocolate, roasty and bittersweet aftertaste. All thanks to the labour of love of our master brewers.
Brewer’s Notes: Ola Dubh is a labour of love. Everything about it is extreme. The brew team fill the mash tuns to the brim with roast barley, pinhead oats and malted barley. It ferments more slowly as the the yeast struggles to move around in such a viscous beer! The base beer is Old Engine Oil which they then put into Highland Park Whisky casks and it stays there for at least 6 months. During this time the flavours from the wood enter the beer to produce Ola Dubh. It is ready only when our Master Brewer, Stuart, deems it ready!
Brewer’s Notes: Ola Dubh is a labour of love. Everything about it is extreme. The brew team fill the mash tuns to the brim with roast barley, pinhead oats and malted barley. It ferments more slowly as the the yeast struggles to move around in such a viscous beer! The base beer is Old Engine Oil which they then put into Highland Park Whisky casks and it stays there for at least 6 months. During this time the flavours from the wood enter the beer to produce Ola Dubh. It is ready only when our Master Brewer, Stuart, deems it ready!
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7.4/10
—
Appearance 7
Aroma 8
Flavor 7.5
Texture 6
Overall 7.5
15/8/2026. Bottle at the EFL season kick-off Saturday beer share. From Beers of Europe. Good pour. Aroma is smoky, woody, malted, peaty, whiskey. Smooth. Moderately sweet and bitter. Enjoyable.
Tried
from Bottle
from
Beers Of Europe
on 15 Aug 2026
at 15:54
7.5/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7.5
Flavor 7.5
Texture 7
Overall 7.5
0,33l bottle at home shared by Saeglopur. Bottled 02/2022 . Black color, tiny off white head. smells peat, smoke, whiskey, light caramel, spices. Nice to very nice smell. full body, light carbonation. tastes peat, earthy, smoke, light whiskey, light caramel, light pepper. finishes dry and light to medium bitter with notes of whiskey, peat and earthy notes. Nice one, would prefer it a tad sweeter, not the biggest peated whiskey fan, overall rather nice one though
8, 7.5, 7.5, 7, 7.5
8, 7.5, 7.5, 7, 7.5
Tried
from Bottle
on 01 Aug 2026
at 12:15
7.1/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7.5
Poured from 330mL bottle (bottle #32621; dated Sept 2023; imported to Netherlands and distributed to Japan, and brought to Canada by Peter from his Xmas Japan trip). Very dark brown with minimal off white head. Subdued iodine and peat from the whisky, thinner bodied, feint roast and toffee malt, a little bit underwhelming.
Tried
from Bottle
on 03 Jan 2026
at 04:50
7.6/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7.5
Flavor 7.5
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
Black color, thin head, sweet bready roasted malt nose with smoky hints. Flavor is very smooth, moderate hops bitterness, excellent rich mouthfeel with well integrated whisky notes in the finish. Earthy, peaty, great match of this beer with smoky whisky.
Tried
from Bottle
on 11 Oct 2025
at 20:14
6.6/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7.5
Bottle.
A- Dark brown color, dark liquid, minimal head.
A- Malty, cocoa, roasty.
F- Roasty, cocoa, faint smoke.
T- Full body, average texture, average carbonation, roasty finish.
O- Hardly any barrel flavor other than added smoke but is that from smoking the malt or the barrel? Wish there was a lot more scotch influence in this and maybe a touch of sweetness. This tasted like a barrel aged Guinness.
A- Dark brown color, dark liquid, minimal head.
A- Malty, cocoa, roasty.
F- Roasty, cocoa, faint smoke.
T- Full body, average texture, average carbonation, roasty finish.
O- Hardly any barrel flavor other than added smoke but is that from smoking the malt or the barrel? Wish there was a lot more scotch influence in this and maybe a touch of sweetness. This tasted like a barrel aged Guinness.
Tried
from Bottle
on 21 Apr 2025
at 19:38