Ola Dubh - 40 Year Old Special Reserve
Harviestoun in Alva, Clackmannanshire, Scotland 🏴
Traditional Beer - Old Ale Regular Out of Production|
Score
7.79
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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 40 Year Old Single Malt Whisky, adding complementary whisky notes to our chocolatey, bittersweet beer.
This amazing brew has been aged in selected oak casks formerly used to mature Highland Park 40 Year Old Single Malt Whisky, adding complementary whisky notes to our chocolatey, bittersweet beer.
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8/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
Bottle 330ml. @ home.[ Trade by cgarvieuk ]. Clear dark black color with a average, frothy to creamy, good lacing, fully lasting, beige head. Aroma is moderate to heavy malty, wood, oak, smoke - peat, vanilla, alcohol - whisky, moderate roasted and chocolate. Flavor is moderate to heavy sweet and moderate bitter with a long duration. Body is medium, texture is oily - creamy, carbonation is soft. [20100130]
Tried
from Bottle
on 11 Mar 2010
at 13:57
8/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 10
Overall 8
Black, and a very thick beer, heavy on the palate. Lots of peat is in there, and some smoke as well, which I didn’t expect from Highland Park. Moss, red meat, and chalk in the finish. Very nice in every way. I taste the scotch, but not the bourbon.
Tried
on 31 Jan 2010
at 09:42
7.8/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 8
Bottle from New Beer Distributors, New York; bottled Jan 2009, 1 year old
parallel tasting with Ola Dubh 30 years old
Black color; beige creamy head. In this version the whisky aroma is more prominent, followed by roasted malt, cream and alcohol; good but less interesting than in the other version.
It has a lean body, not as structured as I would expect; good chocolate flavor, with late caramel and low but present sugars; less liquorice than the other version, cleaner whisky touch.
The final is balanced, roasted malt and chocolate, a bit drier and more alcoholic than the 30 years old. After some time in the glass, it still keeps sharp and it slowly becomes more interesting than the 30 years.
parallel tasting with Ola Dubh 30 years old
Black color; beige creamy head. In this version the whisky aroma is more prominent, followed by roasted malt, cream and alcohol; good but less interesting than in the other version.
It has a lean body, not as structured as I would expect; good chocolate flavor, with late caramel and low but present sugars; less liquorice than the other version, cleaner whisky touch.
The final is balanced, roasted malt and chocolate, a bit drier and more alcoholic than the 30 years old. After some time in the glass, it still keeps sharp and it slowly becomes more interesting than the 30 years.
Tried
from Bottle
on 19 Jan 2010
at 14:46
8.2/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 9
Pours black with a decent creamy tan head. Really nice aroma of dark malt and scotch whiskey. Peaty is the word. Full bodied with mild carbonation. Warm. Dark toasted malt - but very smooth. Very subtle heat and peat flavors. Gets very smoky/peaty in the finish. Good.
Tried
on 04 Jan 2010
at 20:24
7.8/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
Bottle 33 cl. Courtesy of yespr. Pours an opaque dark brown with a small, rough beige head. Massive whisky aroma - amazing. Solid body, roasted malts, lots of sweet and oaky accents. Low in carbonation. Warming alcohol finish. 161209
Tried
from Bottle
on 16 Dec 2009
at 13:19
7/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 8
dark brown, small light brown head. aroma of coffee, roasted stuff. nice. flavor is nicely sweet malty, licorice, many notes.
Tried
on 16 Dec 2009
at 13:10
7.8/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 6
Overall 8
Bottled. A pitch black beer with a thin off-white head. The aroma has strong notes of peated malt, smoke, roasted malt, and alcohol. The flavor is sweet with notes of caramel, roasted malt, nuts, peated smoke, leading to a dry smokey finish with a light alco burn. Huge thanks to yespr for sharing.
Tried
from Bottle
on 16 Dec 2009
at 12:46
8.1/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8.5
27.5 cL bottle. Pours pitch black with a small tan head. Aroma is solid wooden and vanilla, dark roasted malty. Thick malty and smoked flavoured, dark roasted and vanilla. Smooth wooden and dry. Lingering smoked and malty into the far finish. Nice one.
Tried
from Bottle
on 16 Dec 2009
at 12:44
7.4/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
On cask at Churchkey in Washington DC. 7oz snifter. Opaque, oily black with a soft, faint, white ring of head that lines the outside of the glass. Very light carbonation. Boozy aroma, grainy, dark fruits, toast, nuts. Flavor is heavy on the booze, woody, brown sugar, whiskey, corn, toast, coffee molasses. Thick and oily in the mouth, a little salty. Very drinkable.
Tried
from Cask
on 26 Oct 2009
at 15:02
8/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 9
330 ml bottle. Black body with a small beige head that disappears. Aroma is whisky, vanilla, roasted malt, wood, discrete peat and alcohol. Flavor is roasted malt, vanilla, wood, smoke, coffee and a hint of peat whisky. This is very balanced and harmonic, it’s a while since I sampled 16 and 18 year so I really can’t tell if there is any big difference. I love the other one’s as well and am just happy to have the opportunity to sample any of these any time. They are all masterpieces and just make me relaxes and happy with my life.
Tried
from Bottle
on 26 Oct 2009
at 10:39