Orkney Dark Island (Cask)

Dark Island is an iconic beer. A gold standard-bearer for crafted premium Scottish ales, it almost needs no introduction. It offers ripe, fruity and roast coffee aromas with flavours of dark chocolate, dates and nuts, from the combination of roasted malts and robust hops. Pair with cheese of any strength, chargrilled vegetables, steaks, roast beef or lamb dishes. This deeply delicious beer also handles the haggis rather well.

3.5

191 reviews

Stromness, Scotland

Community reviews

3.6 Cask @ GBBF Winter. Dark reddish brown with a tiny off white head. Fruity and hoppy tones. Fruit, malt, nuts and hops. Medium body with a long bitter / fruity finish.

3.0 From tap on the ferry to Stromness. Pours very dark brown, almost black with no head at all. Also no carbonation whatsoever. Don't know if this is normal or if I got a bad one. Taste, however, was good. Malts, a lot of toast, some smoke, chocolate and coffee flavours. A very distant bitterness. Real good taste but no bubbles, after all just a medium brew for me.

4.0 Bon Accord. Glasgow. Wonderful beer. Black with a good tan head. Caramel and dark chocolate

3.6 Cask @ Ferry Inn, Stromness. Not that big deal that I wanted and idealized but

3.8 Cask. Pours clear brown with a medium, frothy off-white head, medium retention. Rich caramelized bready malt with faint earthy hops and bitterness, dark fruits and a sweet finish. Light body and medium carbonation.

4.2 Cask at the Forth Inn in Aberfoyle. Brown, almost black color. A very good beer. Chocolate taste, very good aftertaste. Very fine, since the low abv (4,6%).

3.8 Near-opaque reddish-dark brown beer. Thick, off-white head. Smells of fruit and toasted malt. Taste follows suit. Apples, dry malt, treacle, light caramel. Smooth, rich, earthy and very drinkable.

3.3 -Cask in Krikwall, Orkney islands- Licorice, leather and roasty chocolate finish. Nice.

3.5 Pint at Cawdor Inn. Very dark brown with off-white head. Big dark fruits, vinous fruits, roasted malts, liquorice, some dark coffee, some dark chocolate.

3.6 Cask at Guildford Arms cons 2017-06-17 Edinburgh AR: roasted malt, sweet dark chocolate AP: black, thin sand brown lid F: smooth, caramel, roasted malt, dark chocolate, dark syrup

3.5 Cask at The Green Dragon, Leek (JDW) A deep brown colour with a medium beige head. Aroma of roasted malts, chocolate, dark fruits, some nuts, slight coffee, a little liquorice and subtle spicy hops. Taste of chocolate, dark fruits, nuts, some roasted malts, liquorice, slight coffee, a hint of toffee and subtle spicy hops. Medium bodied and soft carbonation. A bittersweet, fruity, roasted bitterness in the finish. A sweet and rich old ale with tart dark fruits and chocolate balanced really well with roasted malts and a slight spicy bitterness. Good for its style.

3.5 Pours a deep dark brown colour with a small thin beige head. Fruity and roasty aroma, caramel malts and some chocolate. Rich and fruity, sweet caramel, brown sugar and some roasted malty flavours with some ash in the finish. Nice.

3.4 Grumligt brun med ett smutsvitt skum. Dofter av röda bär och choklad. Samma återkommer i smaken tillsammans med trä och läder. Lätt syra i avslutningen.

3.5 Cask Pint at Wibbas Down (JDW), Wimbledon, London in Aug 2010 - Almost black. Bitter-sweet fruity old ale. Very roasty malts. Very dark chocolate plus some coffee. Fruity (dark fruits & berries). Sour edge. Nice malt/hop balance. Dry bitter roast finish. (2010-08)

3.1 Cask. Roasted malts on the nose. Murky brown with tan top and lacing. Taste has berry notes in a coffee chocolate malts wash. A bit thin in the finish.

3.8 Pint from cask into mug in pub in Scotland. Dark, opaque, brown. Very creamy. Nutty. Light body, smooth. A bit of cocoa powder. Nose is dry, nutty, cocoa. Nice all around.

3.5 Black colour, white head. Aroma of caramel, light ash, light smoke, cacao, roasted malts. Flavour of chocolate, ash, light sour hint. Finish ash and toffee. (from draught @ GBBF ’14, London)

4.0 [National Winter Ales Festival, Derby, 2015] - Orkney Brewery Dark Island, 4.6%, schwarz, sehr viel Kaffee und Schokolade im Aroma. Im Antrunk weich, schokoladig, kaffeeartig, aber trocken. Mitte Schokolade und gebranntes Malz. IM Abgang Schokomalz kaffeeartig, danach im Nachhall sehr bitter, esspressoartig, anhaltend.

3.2 On tap at The Old Contemptibles, pours a deep dark brown / near black with a small beige head. Nose brings out bready toffee notes, not much else. Flavour is along the same lines, with bready toffee notes and just enough bitterness to back. Soft on the palate and balanced well. Very easy drinking. Solid.

3.5 Cask at JDW WIQ, London. It pours a dark copper color with a medium tan head. Aroma is sweet and lightly boozy, with notes of raisins, honey, dried fruit, vanilla. Taste is sweet, with notes of chocolate, lactose, vanilla, dried fruits, honey. Medium bodied with soft carbonation. Overall, tasty old ale

4.6 Lovely chocolate aroma. Good dark appearance with lasting off white head. Lots of malt and toffee flavours. Good strength and great on palate. Will try again and further assess.

3.5 Cask, Chelmsford JDW. Descent white lacing. Chestnut brown appeaeance which reds out at the base. Cold espresso creme flavour. Caramel. Brown sugar. Very malty. One of the finest for its style. Well made and reliable despite a bit too top heavy on crystal malt. Loads of toffee.

3.3 Gorgeous chocolatey aroma. Dark coal like colour. Thin and slightly syrupy. A lingering aftertaste.

3.1 Cask at Kinlochlewe Hotel 21/10/14. Dark beer with tan head, Possibly near end of barrel. chocolate and Malt presence. Would have had a higher rating but suspected been on for a while or end of barrel. Good pub though.

3.2 Cask at GBBF Dark brown with a medium sized beige head, good lacing. Aroma and flavors of roasted malts and chocolate. Decent

3.0 Cask@aitchies dark ruby brown. Grey-tan head cocoa and cigarillo tobacco on the nose. Fairly sweet Dusty cocoa, medium bodied, red Apples, low condition, fruity, brown toast.

3.0 Tap, dark pour, beige head, nose is toffee, taste is toffee, not a great stout though.

2.3 Sampled @ GBBF. Dark brown color, small beige head. Smell and taste malts, a slight sourness, roast. The sourness annoys me, shouldn’t be there I think. Average body and carbonation. Meh.

3.5 Scottish ale which, strictly speaking, falls under the old Scottish ’export’ (80/-) category. Light beige head, warm dark chestnut colour. Aroma of caramel malts, dried fruits and an obvious smokiness (peat?). Malty taste with dried fruits, candied dates, some coffee grounds, creamy mouthfeel, subtle smokiness, roasted bitter finish. Great Scottish ale.

4.2 Handpump, Railway Tavern, Lower Largo. Very dark (and mysterious!) good off white head, finger thick and lasts well. Smooth malty beer, obviously in good nick here, very nice!