Dark Island Reserve
Orkney Brewery (Sinclair Breweries) in Stromness, Orkney, Scotland 🏴
Scotch Ale / Wee Heavy Regular|
Score
7.69
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Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 9 | Flavor - 9 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 9
Bottle. Aroma is whiskey, boozy, mossy. Taste is great, chocolate, coffee beans, thick, boozy, very interesting. --- Beer merged from original tick of Orkney Dark Island Reserve on 09 Sep 2019 at 16:05 - Score: Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 9 | Flavor - 9 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 9. Original review text: Bottle. Aroma is whiskey, boozy, mossy. Taste is great, chocolate, coffee beans, thick, boozy, very interesting.
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 9 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8
3rd LCRBM. Sugary, roasty, malty, just a bit spicy aroma with a hint of smoke. Sweet flavor with pineapple, licorice, roast and a touch of coffee. Complex and delicious beer, just a bit alcoholic in the finish.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 9 | Flavor - 9 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8.5
Raisins, fig, dark fruit and whisky nose that is slightly alcoholic. Big full bodied mouth with rum, raisins, fig, Christmas cake and a light alcohol burn. Dark chocolate and light rum finish. Excellent.
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 9 | Flavor - 9 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 9
Bottle. Black pour. Aroma of smooth fruity whisky, red fruit, oak, raisin, figs, molasses and caramelised malt. Taste has sticky raisin, oak, sweet licorice, round cherry, very subtle smoke, caramelised malt, some spice, figs and a long fruity whisky finish. Soft round mouthfeel with a nice warming glow in the troth. Very good, top level old ale indeed. Strong flavors, but nothing is extreme and the beer in careful balance.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8.5
750ml bottle. Pours an opaque mahogany with a thin, creamy, short lived, fully dissipating, brown head. Sweet aroma of figs, prunes, raisins, roasted malt, caramel, oak and just a hint of whisky. Sweet flavour of roasted malt, figs, prunes, raisins, licorice, molasses, tobacco, caramel, chocolate, vanilla and oak with a warming whisky finish. Full body with a creamy, smooth, rich, oily texture and soft carbonation. Excellent complexity. Almost sinful. A world class old ale.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8
(Bottle, bottled on 10 Dec 2008) Black colour with brief, foamy, beige head. Malty, roasted nose with caramel, dark chocolate, roasted malt, oak wood, vanilla, dark fruit. raisins and vinous hints of whiskey. Malty, roasted taste with notes of caramel, dark chocolate, coffee, dark fruit, raisins, liquorice, oak wood, molasses, hints of malt vinegar, a touch of smoke and a finish with a balanced, slightly salty bitterness and a warming whiskey touch. Full body, with a certain sweetness. Complex and with lots of character, still quite laid-back and well rounded. Excellent beer.
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 5 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 5.5
Bottle, 2014 vintage. Pours deep clear ruby black, minimal head, wisp of a ring of tan foam and not much lacing. Aroma is pretty much sherry, port, some oaky vinous notes. Flavor is medium sweet, light plus bitter. Medium body, low carbonation. Better after it warms, but this one apparently does not age well, cause it is high on oxidation and pretty rough around the edges. Kind of hot as well. Probably should have guessed that flip-top was not the best seal in the world, but oh well.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8
330 ml bottle from Beergonzo, bottled on 5th June 2015.
Dark brown body, with a small, creamy, dark beige head.
Aroma of whisky, some smoke, dried fruits, tobacco, cocoa, toffee.
Tastes of wood, whisky, peat, tobacco, dark bread, cocoa, some dried fruits, some liquorice.
Medium, oily mouthfeel, with a moderate carbonation.
Finishes roasty, smokey, wooden, a bit astringent, a bit warm, with tobacco, cocoa, subtle fruits.
Tasty. Really balanced, well integrated peaty whisky notes, leaving room for lots of dark malt and fruity notes, with just the right levels of roastiness and sweetness. Alcohol is greatly hidden, drinks really smooth. One of the best style example I’ve had so far, truly accomplished stuff.