Harviestoun Ola Dubh (12 Year Old)
Ola Dubh (or ‘Black Oil’) is a collaboration between Harviestoun Brewery and Highland Park, Distiller of the Year*. It is based on Harviestoun’s award-winning Old Engine Oil. With more than a stylistic nod to the classic Imperial Porters (and Stouts) of the nineteenth century, this deliciously rich, dark, 8% a.b.v. beer is the first ale to be aged in malt whisky casks from a named distillery and, with traceable casks and numbered bottles, the rest with genuine provenance.
Ola Dubh will initially be available in three different expressions; the initial release will be of small batches aged in casks formerly used to mature Highland Park 12 Year Old, Highland Park 16 Year
Old and Highland Park 30 Year Old. Further variants are planned for the future. Ola Dubh is, in the words of beer afficionado Owen D.L. Barstow: “The most interesting new British beer I have tried in years.”
Ola Dubh will initially be available in three different expressions; the initial release will be of small batches aged in casks formerly used to mature Highland Park 12 Year Old, Highland Park 16 Year
Old and Highland Park 30 Year Old. Further variants are planned for the future. Ola Dubh is, in the words of beer afficionado Owen D.L. Barstow: “The most interesting new British beer I have tried in years.”
3.9
1126 reviews
Alva, Stirlingshire, Scotland
Community reviews
Pours dark black with only a small head. Very rich aroma: dark bread, dark chocolate, dried fruit - you definitely get the whisky . Taste is complex and enjoyable: bread, rye, oak/wood, a hint of smoke, dry fruits. Long finish, take time to enjoy it, nothing to be had on the go.
Sparse foam, but in return an absolutely fantastic aroma where oak mixes with fine aromas of hard-dried malt, dark rye bread, whisky and peat. The aroma notes propagate again in the taste spectrum, just with even more strength and complexity. It has a very vinous fullness which is soft with good notes of sherry that hangs long in the mouth. The finest lace is drawn on the inside of the glass and this is definitely a beer that invites long enjoyment. In the aftertaste, it offers a little taste of dark bitter chocolate. In fact, it is absolutely perfect on all spectra. It should be enjoyed at room temperature.
Bottle from Systembolaget Göteborg. Black with an small brown head. Aroma: Oak, whisky, mild peat, coffee and dark chocolate. Taste: Mild bittersweet. Big Aroma for the abv
Mörkrostad fin malt med svart djup smak. Mycket choklad, bränd karamell men balanserad honung. Lite tvärt avslut med whiskytoner som avslut. Hade mått fint av något högre halt kolsyra.
Flaska. Svart med ett litet men bestående ljusbrunt skum. Dofter av trä, karamell, torkad frukt, whisky. Smakinslag av karamell, kaffe, whisky, torkad frukt, vanilj. Oljig munkänsla. Fyllig kropp.
Pours a very dark brown with no head. Rich roasted malt aroma. Boozy taste, with notes of dark chocolate, roasted malts, black coffee, oak and hints of whisky. A good tasting, rich beer suitable for a winter evening.
Earlier Rating: 2/1/2015 Total Score: 4.4
Sampled in a 33cl bottle purchased in Edinburgh - thanks Rachel and Rory! Pours a viscous black/very dark brown with a tan head. Roasted aromas. The taste is initially of roasted malts, with coffee and smokey flavours there as well. As the warmth of the alcohol spreads through the mouth a glow of whisky emerges, just as if there had been a good shot of Highland Park slipped into the beer. It does not have the strong vanilla flavours of the American Bourbon barrel-aged beers, but it does possess a really complex mix of beer and whisky flavours, with a pleasing bitterness at the end to match the initial caramel (mildly vanilla) sweetness. This is a really special beer and is highly drinkable.
Botella de 33 cl. Fecha de embotellado Julio 2020. Fecha de consumo preferente Julio 2023. Color negro con escasa carbonatación y un dedo de espuma que desaparece pronto. Aroma a café, uvas pasas, ciruelas, whisky, regaliz. Sabor a whisky, café, ciruelas, uvas pasas, frutos rojos, regaliz. Cuerpo ligero, suave, algo ácida, está bien pero desentona esa acidez, esperaba bastante más.
Could've been an alternative for these who consider it's big brothers too dense and complex - but they are not. Decent barrel aged beer, should be at the beginning of the lineup while tasting 16, 18, 30, 40 versions. Also quite good by itself. Not excellent but almost there.
How: Bottle. Where: Systembolaget. Appearance: Dark brown colour with a minimal tan head. Aroma: Roasted malt, chocolate, dried fruit, whiskey. Body: Full body, low carbonation. Flavour: Roasted malt, chocolate, dried fruit, peat, whiskey.
Earlier Rating: 12/16/2013 Total Score: 3.6
How: Bottle.
Where: Systembolaget.
Appearance: Black colour with a very small brown head.
Aroma: Malt, chocolate, vanilla, whiskey.
Body: Medium body, low carbonation.
Flavour: Roasted malt, alcohol, caramel, vanilla.
Bottle 330ml. Hmm, not what I expected… Black with a thin beige head. Aroma is dominated by soy sauce with hints of barnyard. Taste is salty licquorice, soy and ash. Slightly bitter finish. Don’t think the HP sauce casks blends well with the beer. Palate is suprisingly watery at 8% abv. Actually a bit disappointing, also considering the price.
Black pour. Aroma of whisky, ash with hints of caramel. Oily mouthfeel. Flavour of caramel and roasted malts with a dry whisky like finish.
Intressant men lite störande med lukten av rökig whisky! Mörk men tunn, som en Guinness! Inte riktigt värd sitt pris!!
OMG, can feel the Whisky notes
Svartbrun vätska med tunt, tunt skum. Fruktig arom som liknar madeira. Kraftig maltkropp möter en neutral beska och en desto kraftigare rökarom från whiskyfat, störande.
Sherrydoft. Vanilj. Rökig söt smak. Fatton efter.
Bottle from Systembolaget. Aroma is complex. Strong candied apples mostly, some oca cola, roasted malts. Some whisky in the taste but it is surprisingly light. Nice whisky ending. Not too bitter and quite easy on the palate. Nothing to write home about however.
Bottle with metal follies and a wee book 2021-05-02 Göteborg AR: sweet dark chocolate, roasted malt AP: dark by, no head F: roasted malt, sweet dark chocolate, wee peaty whiskey,
Earlier Rating: 2/7/2010 Total Score: 4.2
Bottle, Göteborg, Scotisch tasting 2010-02-06
AP: black beer brownish head AR/F:malt and whiskey, sweet vanilla fudge, a bit hollow vs the older ones, woody finish.
Black colour, creamy tan head.
Aroma: soy sauce, salt, molasses, more soy, liquorice, roasted malt, dark chocolate, whisky, raisins, some caramel, fermented plums, dried fruits.
Taste: roasted malt, whisky, smoke, liquorice, soy, cacao.
olive taste.
Flaska från SB. Kladdig opak närmast svart vätska. Doft av whiskey, choklad, fudge, torkad frukt, dadlar. Mjuk och len, whiskey och dadlar främst i en snyggt harmonisk smakbild. Gott
The aroma is complex and rich: coffee, vanilla, burnt notes, dark bread/“kavring”. Fantastic! Doesn’t follow up when it comes to taste though. Surprisingly thin.
@ Havregatan 20210417. Bottle (330 ml) from Systembolaget.
Roasted malty and woody with dried fruits, whisky and chocolate, mid sweet, medium body with an oily texture.
The finish is bitter and roasted.
Flaska från systembolaget. Svart öl med litet beiget skum. Trevlig öl med fina toner av choklad, rostad malt, trä och whiskey. Torr avslutning.
Rocky light brown head left a spotty cover on a still black body.
Malt, berry, whisky & raisin aroma.
Medium bodied, super smooth, creamy & clean on the back.
Malt, whisky, jam, raisin, fruit cake & lightly spiced tastes with a long warming finish.
Excellent.
Svart farge med beige skum. Lukter kaffe, mørke stenfrukter. Smaker svisker, plomme. Godt med sødme.
De laatste uit de bestelling bij The Good Spirits is zeker niet de slechtste. Integendeel. Heerlijk zachte Double Porter. Gebotteld Oct 2019. Niet een heel boozy bier maar eerder subtiele whiskytonen. Met GBP 3,50 zeer schappelijk geprijsd.
Jet black with half a finger caramel head quickly disappearing head Malty smoky nose, slightly whiskey coffee nose, relative sweet. Bitter lingering finish,malty taste, dark fruits, smoky notes relative light body but very drinkable
过桶世涛 高地公园12年
「外观」黑色酒体 棕色泡沫
「香气」稀少
「品尝 」碳酸感低 前味黑巧克力 粽糖 可可 焦糖 后味 烟熏 泥煤
「余韵」苦味 饼干 半分钟后反甜
First impression was that is would be a heavy beer. Suprisingly light taste, with a lovely after-taste of whiskey.
Bottle at home in Hackney - cheers! Vintage 2007. Pours black-brown with a foamy, tan head. Moderately sweet with rich roast, a bit of ash, peat, baking cocoa, raisins, scorched earth, burnt toffee, very mild oxidation. Full bodied, lightly oily, with soft carbonation. Lightly warming finish, some peaty stickiness, dark chocolate, more ashy roast, earthy bitterness. Excellent.