Ola Dubh Special Reserve 14
Harviestoun Brewery

Drinking out of a small goblet.
Pours a slightly reddish clear black with minimal head.
Smells some of whisky.
Reminiscent of motor oil. Thick, slick, gloopy, smooth.
Taste suggestive of black licorice with notes of whisky, vanilla.

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.

Bottle 01583, February ’21

Alright, I’m finally back to the Ola Dubh series! I found 3 new ones (14, 16, & 30) when at the store tonight, and I knew I had to get them all. I’ve already had and enjoyed 12 & 18, now it’s time to work through a few more. Let’s see what time in a 14 year old scotch cask does

Pours a very dark brown with a finger of tan head that quickly fades to a ring and leaves minimal lacing

The nose is fruity and boozy, almost suggesting a port cask treatment rather than scotch. I’m picking up on aromas of port wine, milk chocolate, dates, toasted oak, toffee, light peat smoke, and light vanilla

It’s definitely more scotch forward in taste, almost to a fault in the swallow with the bandage vibe the spirit can sometimes give. On the front end of the sip I’m tasting milk chocolate, dark toast, peat smoke, caramel, light herbal hops, and brown sugar. The swallow brings notes of peat smoke, bandage, boozy scotch, vanilla, sweet toffee, dates, and light tobacco

A medium full body pairs with gentle tingling carbonation, resulting in a slick beer. Finishes neutral with a tad too much smoke but still goes down easy

I think this is probably my least favorite Ola Dubh so far, but it was still quite enjoyable overall. Onto the 16 next

 

33cl bottle from Boise Co-op. Dark brown opaque pour, thin ring of beige head. Smoky aroma, malty, chocolate, caramel. Taste is sweet, ashy, tobacco. Incredibly smooth, lingering smoke.