Skull Splitter | Orkney Brewery
Brewed by:
Orkney Brewery
Scotland, United Kingdom
orkneybrewery.co.uk
Style: Scotch Ale / Wee Heavy
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 8.50%
Availability: Year-round
Notes / Commercial Description:
No notes at this time.
Added by BeerAdvocate on 10-08-1998
View: Beers | Place Reviews | Events
Ratings: 2,199 | Reviews: 1,005
4.52/5 rDev +11.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
3.5/5 rDev -13.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.23/5 rDev -20.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
4.32/5 rDev +6.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
3.95/5 rDev -2.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
2.03/5 rDev -50%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1
Looked and smelled fine when poured into a glass, but holy cow this was undrinkable for me. Maybe I got a bad one, but for me this flavor was completely and not reminiscent of any other Scottish ale I have had. Very malty, but in a highly unpleasant manner.
257 characters
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1
Looked and smelled fine when poured into a glass, but holy cow this was undrinkable for me. Maybe I got a bad one, but for me this flavor was completely and not reminiscent of any other Scottish ale I have had. Very malty, but in a highly unpleasant manner.
257 characters
4.23/5 rDev +4.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Dark caramel, deep orange in color. Very good clarity. Poured with a short, creamy, off-white foam with good retention. Medium high, rich caramel aromas with dark fruits, and bready, toasty malt notes. No discernible hop aromas, but earthy characters linger within the maltiness. On the heavier side of medium bodied with medium carbonation. Light, creamy feel and pleasant warmth from the middle to the end. Medium high, complex, caramel malt flavors with, dark fruit and toasted, bready malts. Medium light, earthy, spicy bitter hop bite cuts down the sweetness through the middle. Mellow, boozy warmth along with spicy, earthy hop notes from the middle to the end. Finished with a sweet caramel malt note balanced by a spicy, hoppiness. Rich, flavorful, complex and very enjoyable.
785 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Dark caramel, deep orange in color. Very good clarity. Poured with a short, creamy, off-white foam with good retention. Medium high, rich caramel aromas with dark fruits, and bready, toasty malt notes. No discernible hop aromas, but earthy characters linger within the maltiness. On the heavier side of medium bodied with medium carbonation. Light, creamy feel and pleasant warmth from the middle to the end. Medium high, complex, caramel malt flavors with, dark fruit and toasted, bready malts. Medium light, earthy, spicy bitter hop bite cuts down the sweetness through the middle. Mellow, boozy warmth along with spicy, earthy hop notes from the middle to the end. Finished with a sweet caramel malt note balanced by a spicy, hoppiness. Rich, flavorful, complex and very enjoyable.
785 characters
4.51/5 rDev +11.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
L: Pours a clear dark brown with a good head and nice lacing.
S: a sweet caramel note as well as dark fruit
T: this follows the nose with the addition of a nice biscuity note.
F: light medium body, relatively smooth
O: great scotch ale that is definitely worth grabbing when you see it.
290 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
L: Pours a clear dark brown with a good head and nice lacing.
S: a sweet caramel note as well as dark fruit
T: this follows the nose with the addition of a nice biscuity note.
F: light medium body, relatively smooth
O: great scotch ale that is definitely worth grabbing when you see it.
290 characters
4.39/5 rDev +8.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Wonderful spicy (sort of) taste. Loved it!
42 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Wonderful spicy (sort of) taste. Loved it!
42 characters
4.25/5 rDev +4.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
3.89/5 rDev -4.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
3.5/5 rDev -13.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
4.35/5 rDev +7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
Dark ruby with a tan to off-white thick head, leaving nice lacing. Georgeous aroma of cherry, caramel, nutty, and more, with some alcohol in there, too. Moderate feel. Complex flavor, fruits - cherry, raisens - caramel, earthy and sweet, alcohol is obvious but not overpowering in the taste. The finish has fruits, malts, alcohol, and some bittering. The taste is very nice and complex - there is a lot going on here that is difficult for me to describe it all, but the combination is a really good Scotch ale.
510 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
Dark ruby with a tan to off-white thick head, leaving nice lacing. Georgeous aroma of cherry, caramel, nutty, and more, with some alcohol in there, too. Moderate feel. Complex flavor, fruits - cherry, raisens - caramel, earthy and sweet, alcohol is obvious but not overpowering in the taste. The finish has fruits, malts, alcohol, and some bittering. The taste is very nice and complex - there is a lot going on here that is difficult for me to describe it all, but the combination is a really good Scotch ale.
510 characters
4.46/5 rDev +9.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
4.61/5 rDev +13.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
330ml bottle poured into standard liquid retention vessel.
Cloudy orangey dark brown with an off-white head. Fades to a film that lasts with some nice lacing.
Nose has lots going on - fruit cake, dark fruit, spice, raisin, brown sugar.
Palate follows but with some bitterness right at the end - balance is good and a touch of alcohol coming through.
Mouth is very nice and full.
Overall a really great beer - lots of bang for your buck with this one.
Highly recommended.
477 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
330ml bottle poured into standard liquid retention vessel.
Cloudy orangey dark brown with an off-white head. Fades to a film that lasts with some nice lacing.
Nose has lots going on - fruit cake, dark fruit, spice, raisin, brown sugar.
Palate follows but with some bitterness right at the end - balance is good and a touch of alcohol coming through.
Mouth is very nice and full.
Overall a really great beer - lots of bang for your buck with this one.
Highly recommended.
477 characters
4.39/5 rDev +8.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
The Orkney Brewery "Skull Splitter"
11.2 fl. oz. brown glass bottle, "BBE MAY 19" and sampled 24 March 2017
$3.49 @ Total Wine & More, Cherry Hill, NJ
Notes via stream of consciousness: Skull Splitter, the beer that started Philadelphia's "Split Thy Skull" strong ale festival. I haven't had this in a long time, like twenty-plus years. Let's see if it's as good as I remember. Mostly clear deep mahogany brown with a ruby cast. Creamy yellowed off-white head. Very nice. Aroma of caramelish malt, dark skinned fruits, spice, grass, and brown sugar. The flavor follows with even more dark fruit... fig... some black raisin... plum... date... berries, maybe low-level cassis. I'm not sure where the spiciness is coming from, hops I guess because the alcohol is very well cloaked. Or is it? It doesn't come off as "alcohol" to me and I'm not feeling any heat. It's a bit earthy and herbal as well. Dry finish with lingering fruit and spice, some residual almost-burnt-sugar maltiness, and earthy, herbal, and grassy hop notes. I remember it as being more malty - it's not, and in fact it's only medium bodied. It's dangerously deceptive in that it's really easy to drink. What's the ABV? Just 8.5%, that's not too bad. The weird thing is I used to think of this as a sipping beer, but tasting it now, I'd have one of these out at the pub with the lads. Just one, mind you, but it wouldn't slow me enough to not be ready for the next round. Back to the head, there's still a thin but solid surface covering and the lacing is quite nice. A definite thumbs up for appearance. In fact all around. The aroma is great, and the flavor takes that even further; and the balance is magnificent. Really good. A classic.
1,708 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
The Orkney Brewery "Skull Splitter"
11.2 fl. oz. brown glass bottle, "BBE MAY 19" and sampled 24 March 2017
$3.49 @ Total Wine & More, Cherry Hill, NJ
Notes via stream of consciousness: Skull Splitter, the beer that started Philadelphia's "Split Thy Skull" strong ale festival. I haven't had this in a long time, like twenty-plus years. Let's see if it's as good as I remember. Mostly clear deep mahogany brown with a ruby cast. Creamy yellowed off-white head. Very nice. Aroma of caramelish malt, dark skinned fruits, spice, grass, and brown sugar. The flavor follows with even more dark fruit... fig... some black raisin... plum... date... berries, maybe low-level cassis. I'm not sure where the spiciness is coming from, hops I guess because the alcohol is very well cloaked. Or is it? It doesn't come off as "alcohol" to me and I'm not feeling any heat. It's a bit earthy and herbal as well. Dry finish with lingering fruit and spice, some residual almost-burnt-sugar maltiness, and earthy, herbal, and grassy hop notes. I remember it as being more malty - it's not, and in fact it's only medium bodied. It's dangerously deceptive in that it's really easy to drink. What's the ABV? Just 8.5%, that's not too bad. The weird thing is I used to think of this as a sipping beer, but tasting it now, I'd have one of these out at the pub with the lads. Just one, mind you, but it wouldn't slow me enough to not be ready for the next round. Back to the head, there's still a thin but solid surface covering and the lacing is quite nice. A definite thumbs up for appearance. In fact all around. The aroma is great, and the flavor takes that even further; and the balance is magnificent. Really good. A classic.
1,708 characters
4.27/5 rDev +5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Somewhat cloudy copper brown body with fine carbonation rising to support a light tan head that fades to a veneer and a ring with dots and webs of lace on the glass talk about a run-on sentence. The nose offers fruitcake, fresh and toasted bread, raisin, cherry, caramel and caramel malt, a touch of alcohol, in that order. It's diverse among a certain theme, if that makes sense. The flavor omits some of these components, focusing on the fruitcake, raisin, toasted bread, and alcohol, but still provides a rich palate with potent but understated intensity. Its earthy bitterness is considerable but the mild sweetness also makes its presence known. Body is medium weight, slick, with muted carbonation verging on flat, but it works with the array of flavors.
My scores are based on the prestige and style, otherwise I might overlook this beer and rate it .25 lower in each category. Regardless, this is a great beer that focuses on a set of flavors and explores them thoroughly. Between the label and the beer itself, when I'm drinking this I feel like I have one foot in Scotland.
1,083 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Somewhat cloudy copper brown body with fine carbonation rising to support a light tan head that fades to a veneer and a ring with dots and webs of lace on the glass talk about a run-on sentence. The nose offers fruitcake, fresh and toasted bread, raisin, cherry, caramel and caramel malt, a touch of alcohol, in that order. It's diverse among a certain theme, if that makes sense. The flavor omits some of these components, focusing on the fruitcake, raisin, toasted bread, and alcohol, but still provides a rich palate with potent but understated intensity. Its earthy bitterness is considerable but the mild sweetness also makes its presence known. Body is medium weight, slick, with muted carbonation verging on flat, but it works with the array of flavors.
My scores are based on the prestige and style, otherwise I might overlook this beer and rate it .25 lower in each category. Regardless, this is a great beer that focuses on a set of flavors and explores them thoroughly. Between the label and the beer itself, when I'm drinking this I feel like I have one foot in Scotland.
1,083 characters
Skull Splitter from Orkney Brewery
4.06
out of 5
based on 2,199 ratings.
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75