Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7.5 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 7 | Overall - 6.5

Probably the most well-know and popular Scottish ale, the group of often misunderstood and today seldomly seen low ABV beers that fall below the much better known Scotch ale or 'wee heavy' category - in fact I recall it took me a long time to find one back in the day when I tried to tick off every single beer style listed by Ratebeer.com. I noticed that there are two entries of the same name on this site, the other being identified as a bitter, but I think the ratings under that other entry belong here, as the brewery clearly - though implicitly - identifies this beer as a Scottish ale. From tap at the hotel in Aberdeen where I paired it with a Balmoral burger. Dense, creamy (nitro-tapped), lacing, medium sized, snow white head, clear pale ochre-blonde robe with odd bronze-ish hue. Aroma of wet toast, lightly toasted peanuts, a smoky effect not of Rauchmalz but rather burnt cardboard or something alike, freeze-dried chervil, tea bags, fried parsnip chips, ferrous spring water, minerals, dry hay. Fairly neutral onset, some dried apple or dried pear perhaps, softly carbonated with slender yet creamy (again: nitro-tapped) mouthfeel; slightly peanutty, thinly toasty and cereally malt core, toasted grains becoming more apparent in the finish, where a pleasantly balancing leafy and tea-ish hop bitterness sets in - but the smoky effect appears as well, again more reminiscent of burnt paper or wood ashes than actual smoke, yet adding to a dry, bitterish, somewhat minerally finish. Herbal, smoky and smooth, but thin and toasty too: took me a while to get used to as it is very different from the much stronger Scotch ale style I know and love, but in the end it did go down easily...

Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6

Pint on cask at the Booking office jdw.
Medium off white head. Clear amber pour. Light bitterness

Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 5 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 5.5

Cask, pint. @The Corryvreckan, Oban (Scotland). 07/08/2023 [#6.691 Global - #226 Scotland - #3 Belhaven] Pours deep amber to brown with an off-white head. Mostly lacing. Aroma: malty and nutty. Taste: smooth malty and caramelly leading to a creamy mouthfeel. Bit watery palate. Next one please!

Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7

Cask at the Counting House. Deep amber to brown. Malty, nutty nose, toast and light caramel. Toasty, nutty malt flavor. Smooth. Spicy hop finish with crisp bitterness. Light, smooth body.

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 4 | Flavor - 4 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 3.5

From cask at The Old Ship, Maldon, England, with Terje 25.04.23. Clear teak colour. White head. Aroma and taste of caramel, sweet malt and dates. Waterish.

bl

27/04/1978. SUN, 63 Lambs Conduit Street, LONDON, WC1, England (FREE HOUSE)

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 5 | Flavor - 5 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 5.5

Cask at The Gordon Highlander, Inverurie. 75p for a a half! It pours clear mahogany brown with a decent frothy white head. The aroma is sweetish, toffee, dried fruits, brown bread, fruit cake and twig. The taste is dryish upfront, firm, bitter - sweet, dusty, dull toffee, brown bread, twiggy and leafy hop. Finish is short, dry and kinda woody. Light body and soft, but lively carbonation. I actually expected a fair bit worse. Yes it's not the most exciting beer in the world, but it is certainly quenching. Nae bad (especially for the price).