Tag Archives: harviestoun

Harviestoun Ola Dubh Special Reserve 18

Brewery: Harviestoun Brewery
Country: Scotland
ABV: 8%
Style: Old Ale
Other Notes: Aged in Highland Park 18 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky casks

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Aged in selected oak casks, formerly used to mature Highland Park’s beautifully balanced 18 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky.

(from tag) Ola Dubh (meaning ‘Black Oil’ in gaelic) is a real labour of love for our brew team. We take our Old Engine Oil and mature it in whisky casks from the award winning Orkney distillery & our good friends, Highland Park. The process is far from simple but the end result is a beautiful brew with complementary whisky notes and a chocolate, roasty and bittersweet aftertaste.

We are delighted to bring back the Ola Dubh, 18 year old. This award winning ale has delicate notes of dark chocolate, tangy oak and dried fruit shining through.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.04
My ratebeer.com rating: 4

Intro: A 330ml black foiled and capped bottle, bottle no. 08466, bottled in October 2021, and a best before end date of November 2024. Poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: Dark brown to black in colour with a half finger beige head that dissipated fairly quickly to a ring around the glass, while leaving some nice lacing.
Aroma: Roasted malts, chocolate, nutty, dried dark fruit, whisky, with light notes of caramel and peat.
Taste: Roasted malts, dark chocolate, coffee bean, whisky, oak, light nutty, a touch bitter, with notes of smoke.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with soft carbonation.
Overall: Aroma and flavours were balanced, but I probably prefer the 16 slightly more with the extra dark fruit and sweetness.

Harviestoun Ola Dubh Special Reserve 16

Brewery: Harviestoun Brewery
Country: Scotland
ABV: 8%
Style: Old Ale
Other Notes: Aged in Highland Park Wings of the Eagle Single Malt Scotch Whisky casks

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Aged in selected oak casks, formerly used to mature Highland Park’s beautifully balanced Wings of the Eagle Single Malt Scotch Whisky.

(from tag) Ola Dubh (meaning ‘Black Oil’ in gaelic) is a real labour of love for our brew team. We take our Old Engine Oil and mature it in whisky casks from the award winning Orkney distillery & our good friends, Highland Park. The process is far from simple but the end result is a beautiful brew with complementary whisky notes and a chocolate, roasty and bittersweet aftertaste.

The Wings of the Eagle barrels provide an ale that strikes a sensational balance of fruity sweetness with a complex bitter hop background.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.08
My ratebeer.com rating: 4

Intro: A 330ml black foiled and capped bottle, bottle no. 15872, bottled in March 2022, and a best before end date of March 2025. Poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: Dark brown in colour with a half finger beige head that dissipated fairly quickly to a ring around the glass, while leaving some nice lacing.
Aroma: Roasted malts, chocolate, sweet dark fruit, whisky, caramel, and maybe a touch of smoke.
Taste: Dark fruit sweetness, light roast, chocolate, brown sugar, caramel, whisky, toasted wood, with a light bitterness.
Mouthfeel: Light to medium bodied with soft carbonation.
Overall: Clean, balanced, aroma and flavours.

Harviestoun Ola Dubh Special Reserve 14

Brewery: Harviestoun Brewery
Country: Scotland
ABV: 8%
Style: Old Ale
Other Notes: Aged in Highland Park Loyalty of the Wolf Single Malt casks

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Aged in selected oak casks, formerly used to mature Highland Park’s beautifully balanced Loyalty of the Wolf Single Malt Scotch Whisky.

(from tag) Ola Dubh (meaning ‘Black Oil’ in gaelic) is a real labour of love for our brew team. We take our Old Engine Oil and mature it in whisky casks from the award winning Orkney distillery & our good friends, Highland Park. The process is far from simple but the end result is a beautiful brew with complementary whisky notes and a chocolate, roasty and bittersweet aftertaste.

We are delighted to add the 14 year old into the Ola Dubh Range. The loyalty of the wolf barrels provide a smooth approachable ale which perfectly balances sweet flavours of vanilla, baked apples and cinnamon with a subtle spice of whisky and charred oak.

My rating: 4-
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.99
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.9

Intro: A 330ml black foiled and capped bottle, bottle no. 07501, bottled in February 2021, and a best before end date of March 2024. Poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: Dark brown in colour with a half finger beige head that dissipated fairly quickly to a ring around the glass, while leaving some nice lacing.
Aroma: Roasted malts, chocolate, sweet dark fruit, whisky, caramel, with fruity candy notes.
Taste: Lightly sweet, dark fruit, roasted malts, roasty, toasty, chocolate, whisky, caramel, light vanilla, and a bittersweet finish.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with soft carbonation.
Overall: Interesting aroma and flavours, although perhaps a touch thin.

Harviestoun Ola Dubh 10th Anniversary

Brewery: Harviestoun Brewery
Country: Scotland
ABV: 8%
Style: English Old Ale
Other Notes: Ale matured in whisky casks for a full two years. Special twelve year old reserve barrels – Highland Park

Brewer Description: (from bottle) This unique, tenth anniversary edition is aged for a full two years (three times longer than normal) in casks formerly used to mature Highland Park’s legendary 12 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky, allowing even more whisky flavours to imbue the ale. Let’s toast a decade of barrel-aged brewing – Slainte!

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.61
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.5

Intro: A 330ml foiled and capped bottle, bottle no. 09925, bottled in October 2017, and best before end of February 2021. Poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: A clear dark brown colour with pretty much no head and only very sparse spotted lacing.
Aroma: Chocolate, whisky, raisin, fig, wood, caramel, with light peat and smoke.
Taste: Watery, whisky, roasted malts, chocolate, raisin, caramel, fig, dried fruit, with light roast and smoke.
Mouthfeel: Light bodied with soft carbonation.
Overall: My first impression was that the body was so light that it drank like watered down whisky. It was better after it warmed as the complexity and roastiness came out and balanced the wateriness to the point that it was ok and drinkable. I easily preferred the Special Reserve 21 version though, but I am looking forward to trying the other varieties. A heavier body would have improved this.

Harviestoun Ola Dubh Special Reserve 21

Brewery: Harviestoun Brewery
Country: Scotland
ABV: 8%
Style: English Old Ale
Other Notes: Aged in Highland Park 21 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky casks.

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Aged in selected oak casks, formerly used to mature Highland Park’s beautifully balanced 21 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky.

(from tag) Ola Dubh (or ‘Black Oil’) is so named because it is gloopy and viscous. This limited release has been matured in casks from Orkney’s award-winning Highland Park distillery to add complementary whisky notes to what is already an amazing brew. It is chocolatey with a roasty, bittersweet aftertaste.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.94
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.8

Intro: A 330ml foiled and capped bottle, bottle no. 00214, bottled in April 2014, and best before end of May 2017. Poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: A clear dark brown colour with pretty much no head and only very sparse spotted lacing.
Aroma: Chocolate, whisky, wood and vanilla with maybe a touch of coffee.
Taste: Dark chocolate, roasty malts and coffee bean, whisky and vanilla with a hint of sweet dark fruit, raisin, plum and prunes on the finish.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with low carbonation.
Overall: Nice roastiness and vanilla with subtle but clear whisky notes makes this go down easy. Definitely on the lookout for the other years now.

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