Ola Dubh Special Reserve 12 Sherry Cask
Harviestoun Brewery
- From:
- Harviestoun Brewery
- Scotland, United Kingdom
- Style:
- English Stout
- ABV:
- 8%
- Score:
- +3 ratings needed
- Avg:
- 4.28 | pDev: 10.75%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 2
- Status:
- Inactive
- Rated:
- Mar 10, 2018
- Added:
- Dec 20, 2016
- Wants:
- 2
- Gots:
- 1
NO SCORE
-
-
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews.
Reviewed by doktorhops from Australia
3.4/5 rDev -20.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5
3.4/5 rDev -20.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5
I’ve been a fan of Harviestoun since 2001 when I lived in Edinburgh, Scotland and worked in a bar that sold Old Engine Oil on those awesome bicep-building pull taps (I could have sworn that beer used to be 9% ABV). Fast forward to 2018 and sitting in front of me is a lot of memories packaged neatly in a 330ml bottle. This is Ola Dubh Special Reserve 12 Sherry Cask. A Black Ale aged in Highland Park sherry casks. The bottle no. is 25937, and the date on it is April 2015, so it’s had over 3 years in the bottle (including 6 months in the cask). I’m also a big fan of Highland Park whiskey too - though I’m a bit wary about the aging in sherry casks: Highland Park is already soft and sweet enough, hopefully the aging in the bottle will have mellowed out my preconceived sweetness somewhat.
Poured from a 330ml bottle into a Duvel tulip.
A: Not quite black, more like a “she sips a Coca Cola, she can't tell the difference yet” coloured body, with thin tan soap bubbles where a head would normally reside [at least this one is carbed bro!]. Looks alright though, a classic 7/10.
S: Woah. More smoky bacon hickory goodness than an American BBQ Association get together. Actually just Googled if such a thing does exist - American BBQ Association - and thank the internet it does. Really hard to get past those smoky, charry, bacon and hickory notes - at this stage I’m predicting the little info-gram pics above to be: Smoke, Bacon, Wood. Pretty singular stuff. 7/10.
T: Flavour takes the above: smoky, charry, bacon and hickory - and then it dumps peat all over it... and I mean ALL OVER IT. Profile is peat from start to finish, he’s a nice guy but jeez Peat get over yourself! Look if I had to guess I would say the original, non-peated, version of this has a delightful dark fruit and brown sugar character and finishes sweet with a slight medicinal herb bitterness [which is my go-to description of many a Dark Ale]. However there’s very little room for anything else in this peat bog of a brew. Smoky = this. 7/10.
M: Mouthfeel is also a bit of a letdown coming from Harviestoun [who I know can produce great textured beers] with a mid to light, thin bodied and thin carbed feel. You can do better Harviestoun! 5/10.
D: With a BB date of 11/18 maybe I’m cutting it fine? All I know is this is one smoky brew, and peaty AF, plus it’s one-dimensional. It’s hard to have any dimension when peat is involved, which is why I respect + love Ardbeg so much. 7/10.
Food match: Sipping this with cigars, maybe throw in some dark chocolate too.
Feb 05, 2018Poured from a 330ml bottle into a Duvel tulip.
A: Not quite black, more like a “she sips a Coca Cola, she can't tell the difference yet” coloured body, with thin tan soap bubbles where a head would normally reside [at least this one is carbed bro!]. Looks alright though, a classic 7/10.
S: Woah. More smoky bacon hickory goodness than an American BBQ Association get together. Actually just Googled if such a thing does exist - American BBQ Association - and thank the internet it does. Really hard to get past those smoky, charry, bacon and hickory notes - at this stage I’m predicting the little info-gram pics above to be: Smoke, Bacon, Wood. Pretty singular stuff. 7/10.
T: Flavour takes the above: smoky, charry, bacon and hickory - and then it dumps peat all over it... and I mean ALL OVER IT. Profile is peat from start to finish, he’s a nice guy but jeez Peat get over yourself! Look if I had to guess I would say the original, non-peated, version of this has a delightful dark fruit and brown sugar character and finishes sweet with a slight medicinal herb bitterness [which is my go-to description of many a Dark Ale]. However there’s very little room for anything else in this peat bog of a brew. Smoky = this. 7/10.
M: Mouthfeel is also a bit of a letdown coming from Harviestoun [who I know can produce great textured beers] with a mid to light, thin bodied and thin carbed feel. You can do better Harviestoun! 5/10.
D: With a BB date of 11/18 maybe I’m cutting it fine? All I know is this is one smoky brew, and peaty AF, plus it’s one-dimensional. It’s hard to have any dimension when peat is involved, which is why I respect + love Ardbeg so much. 7/10.
Food match: Sipping this with cigars, maybe throw in some dark chocolate too.
Reviewed by Ciocanelu from Romania
4.25/5 rDev -0.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.25/5 rDev -0.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Dark brown color with brownish head. Aroma has nice dried figs and roasted malt with some high cacao chocolate. Taste has cacao, dried fruits, figs, chocolate, quite balanced overall. Medium body with low carbonation. Overall it's quite nice but I think the regular version was better.
Jun 06, 2017
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