Harviestoun Ola Dubh 12 Year Special Reserve

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

This was an OK here but not what I expected for $8.99 for 11.2 ounce bottle yes. That was Age for 12 years in whiskey Cass barrels. The taste was OK but nothing really heavily pronounced except for a slight sweetness and decent notes of whiskey. Was not sick at all and was expecting more because it was called black oil.

Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 8

Pours a luscious opaque sable with a respectable pale tan head that leaves a little lacing. Strong aroma has an overtone of honey and hints of caramel, wood and malt. Flavor has caramel, malty and woody tones with nutty, woody and honey hints and a touch of yeast. Texture is thick and smooth and just a little tingly, but still pleasing and beer-like.

Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 9

330 ml capped bottle, N° 18786 from 02/2012, bbf 02/2015. Poured in a typical Scottish Ale stemmed glass an almost black, with hints of burgundy, coloured Old Ale with half a finger tan foamy head that had a short retention and tons of micro bubbles. Soft carbonation. Poor lacing. The aroma is roasted malts, woods, oak with a soft whisky feeling, notes of smoke. The flavour is rich, roasted malts, caramel, dark chocolate, spicy, licorice, vanilla and a peppery touch, herbal notes, leather, peat and hints of smoke and ashes. The mouthfeel is fulled, thick and light bitter. The texture is oily. This full bodied Old Ale has a lingering malty and spicy finish. The announced whisky feeling is well present but never overwhelming. A very interesting, tasty and well balanced Old Ale from Scotland. I like it!

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 9

It pours out a deep brown, small head. The aroma is sweet, with the scotch jumping right out at me. Dark fruits and roasted malts are hanging out underneath. The taste is very nice, with the dark fruits and roasted malts of the old ale coming through first, but an excellent whisky taste coming through at the end, with a touch of peat and smoke. Very good. The mouthfeel has a nice amount of carbonation, and the drinkability is actually quite good. A great barrel-aged beer. Recommended for the scotch fan.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 8

I wasn't quite as thrilled with this as I had hoped. Nearly opaque black with a thin brown cap, it looked promising. Very rich aroma, some plum and bread, a hint of something like licorice. Very sweet at first, immediately followed by some mild smoke. Fruity and alcoholic. Incredibly smooth and silky feel, heavy, not sticky, teeny tiny bubbles.

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 8

Very dark brown colour pour. Thin tan head did not hold up and left very little lacing. Smells like a distant campfire. Flavour of roasted malt, peat, chocolate, vanilla and scotch. Whiskey flavour seems to grow as it warms. Smooth creamy mouthfeel. Mmmm, beer and scotch, I’ve been doing that for years. Just not in the same glass.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

The less-expensive of the Ola Dubh series, found at the LCBO. Bottle No. 05433 and best before FEB 2014. Pours a black colour with some very light red highlights. Its head is beige, creamy, long-lasting and gives out great chunky lace. Wow... beautiful aromas loaded with stuff. Molasses that are softened by maple syrup, roasted malts and dark fruits all rounded-up by mild chocolate. Right before breathing though, much more was there: burnt wood, nuts and peat. Slightly oily mouthfeel that just sticks a bit. The taste is pretty decent, but lacks the character the nose has. Milder all-around with the dark fruits, chocolate, molasses, roasted malt and some earth in the finish. Seems like the smokiness disappears. Still, a great brew to enjoy slowly and great for cellaring. Pretty close score to their very expensive 40 year old version.

Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 9

From bottle (bottled in 2009), poured into snifters, @ Boyd's Jig & Reel Sottish and Irish Music Pub in the Old City, Knoxville, Sat.- 02-11-2012. Best beer of the night by far. We let this beer warm quite awhile for full effect. Jet black motor oil pour with a thin tan head which reduces to a constant cap, leaving heavy brown lacing throughout. Burnt molasses aroma, with roasted malts, a touch of smokiness, peat and whiskey, hint of dark chocolates, more molasses. The taste is spot on with the aroma - no hidden surprises - near-burnt molasses, dark toasted malts, bittersweet chocolates, peat-whiskey-smoke, deep and satisfying goodness. A real sipper for certain. This beer lasted us damn near an hour, split two ways, and was our next to last beer for the evening. Fit perfectly with our Jig & Reel Pub experience. My friend was in absolute awe of this beer. I pretty much was also. Now I want to visit their 16, 18, 30 and 40 Year Old Versions. Bravo - well crafted!

Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 9

330ml bottle
8.0% ABV
Bottle #: 05015
Best Before: February 2014
Milton LCBO Outlet #2 (Milton, Ontario, Canada)
August 16, 2011
The beer poured a very dark brown colour with a long lasting light brown head. The aroma was roasted malt, coffee, vanilla, and nuts. The mouthfeel was full bodied, and creamy. The flavour was roasted malt, smoked wood, and hints of coffee. The whisky appears in the finish. I actually enjoyed this one more than the 16 year and 18 year versions.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

I'm not sure what defines these as 'old' ales, they all seem pretty porterish/Scottish ale to me. They all poured black, lots of roasted malt and vanilla in the aroma. Flavour is well balanced. Nice and malty, and the whiskey is in the finish. I can find no discernable differences between the 12, 16, and 18 year versions