Ola Dubh - 12 Year Old Special Reserve
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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8.5/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 9
Texture 10
Overall 8
Bottle from Solan, thanks! Pitch black and opague. Peataroma with dark chocolate, cream and coffee. Malty sweet flavor with peat, cream and dark chocolate. Peat dominating in the aftertaste. A marvel of balance, this beer. Malt, oak, peat and alcohol in almost perfect harmony.
Tried
from Bottle
on 26 Aug 2019
at 12:07
8/10
Backlog (sampled on 15/04/18);Bottle no. 22669;Bottling date 02/17, BBD 02/20;Prominent old ale aroma with dark bread,toast,light caramel
Tried
from Bottle
on 14 Aug 2019
at 22:15
7.4/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 8
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
Dark chocolate and toffee. Jet brown with a rich light brown head. Woody and ash, toffee and cocoa. A nice long ashy finish with a nice slickness.
Tried
on 26 Jun 2019
at 04:55
8.5/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 9
Flavor 8
Texture 10
Overall 8
Fles 33cl thuis. Chocolademousse & whiskytonen, roasted malts, koffie, zachte zoeten, hout, vanilletonen, tonen van sherry, romige volle smaak. Interessant. Goede balans. (18-5-2019).
Tried
on 18 May 2019
at 21:48
8/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 8
Flavor 9
Texture 8
Overall 8
The second one for our 6th wedding anniversary. Bottle 0.33l. Almost clear, dark red to black colored. AROMA- chocolate, cocoa powder, sweetened coffee, liquer, touch of wood. FLAVOR- smooth, neutral to dry, lightly bitter, lightly warming, creamy chocolate, nuts, pleasant alcohol, touch of whiskey. Medium to fuller bodied.
Really good.
Really good.
Tried
from Bottle
on 04 Apr 2019
at 22:09
7.6/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
Appearance: Very dark brown, some dark tan head. Aroma: Dark malt, dark fruits, peat, roasted. Prunes. Taste: Dark malt, roasted, nice peat. Some dark fruits? Bought: Wittich, 330 ml, CHF 6.80 Info: 23/3-2019, BB: 31/8-2019
Tried
on 25 Mar 2019
at 16:40
8.8/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 9
Flavor 8
Texture 10
Overall 9
Dark brown colour, medium sized dense beige-ish head; aroma of whisky and peated notes, plum and plum jam, dark chocolate and smoke; taste of smoked and burnt notes, chocolate, some dried fruits, licorice and intensive alcoholic-whisky-like spiciness; extraordinary 'beer'
Tried
on 16 Mar 2019
at 23:29
7.1/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 8.5
Bottle from Wine Reserve, Cobham. Tar-like aroma with warming (peated?) whisky. Dark and glossy. Bubbly beige head fades too quickly. Medium sweet with a smoky tar bitter edge. A hint of booze. Medium bodied. Creamy. Low key carbonation. Long finish. Decent enough although I would be happy if the sweetness were turned down a notch which would have then been closer to a 4.0..
Tried
from Bottle
on 10 Mar 2019
at 21:14