Dark Island
Orkney Brewery (Sinclair Breweries) in Stromness, Orkney, Scotland 🏴
Traditional Beer - Old Ale Regular|
Score
6.89
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Dark Island is an iconic beer: The Orkney Brewery's flagship beer. Exhibiting a ripe fruity, chocolate nose, Dark Island is balanced by flavours of dark Chocolate, dried fruit, figs and nuts from the combination of roasted malts and rich hops. A standard-bearer for traditional Scottish ales.
Hops: First Gold: East Kent Goldings
Malts: Pale, Crystal, Chocolate, Malted Wheat
Hops: First Gold: East Kent Goldings
Malts: Pale, Crystal, Chocolate, Malted Wheat
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7.8/10
—
Appearance 9
Aroma 7.5
Flavor 7.5
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
Bottle. Dark brown body with a thin beige head. Good lacing. Aroma of dark chocolate, filter coffee and plum. Flavour of chocolate and orange. Thin to medium body with a foamy texture. Soft fizz. Simple and tasty. One of my go-to beers. Always a treat on cask.
Tried
from Bottle
on 25 Nov 2025
at 21:56
7.3/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7.5
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
Almost black with a frothy, beige head. Aroma of red currant and toffee. Taste is burnt bitter with mildly tart undertones. Lingering ash on the tongue. Medium bodied, mildish carbonation. Excellent character given the ABV. Pleasant.
Tried
from Bottle
on 11 Nov 2025
at 18:02
6.6/10
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Appearance 7
Aroma 7
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 7
Purchased at the Tesco Supermarket in Lerwick Shetland Islands UK. Nose is very light cocoa not chocolaty as the label claims. Black with a big tan head. Flavor is light sweetness with contrasting bitterness.
Tried
from Bottle
on 12 Jul 2025
at 17:42
6.5/10
—
Appearance 7
Aroma 6
Flavor 6.5
Texture 7
Overall 6.5
Pours a very dark reddish-brown with minimal off-white head. Aroma: nuts, figs and liquorice. Taste: liquorice, dark berries and brown sugar. Malty and toffee on the palate.
Next one, please!
Next one, please!
Tried
from Cask
at
Jack Fairman (JDW)
on 20 May 2025
at 19:36
7.4/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
Bottled. Poured a jet black. SOme nice maltiness and hops. A really characterful beer at only 4.6 abv. Recommended.
Tried
from Bottle
on 20 May 2025
at 00:50
6.8/10
—
Appearance 7
Aroma 6
Flavor 7
Texture 7
Overall 7
Old rating from Nov 2014 - 500ml bottle, pours a dark brown with a off white foamy head. Aromas & tastes of coffee, dark fruits, hints of chocolate, toffee, caramel, oak & roasted malt. Moderate to medium body. Dry mildly bitter finish
Tried
from Bottle
on 21 Apr 2025
at 15:05
7/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 8
Overall 8
Bottle. On the lower end of abv than most "old ales". Doesn’t matter though. Still had a great taste and really appreciated the Stonehedge picture on the label. Would drink again. Recommended.
Tried
from Bottle
on 24 Mar 2025
at 05:16
7.9/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
Аромат солодовый прежде всего. Много ноток от черного шоколада и легкие кофейные зерна. Присутствие легкой сухости от жженки. Цвет темный, но не угольный черноты, пенка средняя, больше кофейная. Вкус весьма сбалансированный и питкий. Снова шоколадка на первом плане, кофе, но не зерна, а уже заваренный что ли, хотя даже при глотке есть намеки на бобы. Также сухость, самую малость горчинки. В целом немного даже не в тиль как будто, но приятно, очень схож на портер кофейный.
Tried
on 01 Feb 2025
at 11:28
6.6/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 6.5
Bottle from Beers of Europe. Pours a dark brown with moderate sized beige head, nice retention. Aroma of light roast, coffee and dark chocolate. Taste is the same, quite dry, rich and yet a little thin in the mouthfeel. Quite nice but it left me wanting more for this beer.
Tried
from Bottle
on 02 Jan 2025
at 03:03
6/10
Tried
on 13 Dec 2024
at 16:51