Orkney Dark Island
Orkney Dark Island
Rated 3.813 by BeerPalsBrewed by Orkney Brewery
Orkney Islands, United Kingdom
Style: Scottish Ale
4.6% Alcohol by Volume
Availability of this beer is unknown
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Dark Island is an iconic beer: a standard-bearer for traditional Scottish ales. In cask, this beer has twice won CAMRA’s Champion Beer of Scotland. On the nose, this dark beer offers bitter chocolate, figs, toffee and hints of fruit. On the palate, this resolves into beautiful, silky-smooth, coffee-and-chocolate flavours, followed by figs, dates and dried fruits, with a very appealing, lingering aftertaste of fruits and hop bitterness. Appearance A very dark beer with a deep ruby tint, displaying a tight, smooth, almost white head Aroma Chocolate, winter fruits and dried fruits, with hints of smooth roasted malt, coffee, nuts and toffee Palate Chocolate, coffee and roast malt flavours, giving way to warm winter fruits and a balanced, more-ish aftertaste Key Ingredients Chocolate malt, crystal malt and wheat give this beer its smooth, full-bodied, maltiness and sweetness; First Gold and Goldings hops combine with the malt flavours to deliver the winter fruits and dried fruits aspects
ID: 876 Last updated 1 week ago Added to database 23 years agoKey Stats
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0
Drunk28
Reviews0
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Most noted beer attributes
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Statistics
| Overall Rank | 506 |
| Overall Percentile | 99.1 |
| Style Rank | 8 of 689 |
| Style Percentile | 98.8 |
| Lowest Score | 2.6 |
| Highest Score | 4.7 |
| Average Score | 3.900 |
| Weighted Score | 3.813 |
| Standard Deviation | 0.467 |
Rating Distribution
Beer vs Style
28 Member Reviews
Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 8
This one of the very best (moderate strength) beers I've ever had (cask conditioned). Aroma and flavour of dried fruits, coffee and liqourice. Can't think of any faults with it. Rerate: 500 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 4.6%. Black colour, ruby in the highlights, big to moderate tan head. Aroma of coffee, dark chocolate, hints of peaty smoke and oak, not as fruity as the cask version, but nice. The flavour has the same elements as the aroma, but here distinct fruity and vinous (claret) notes come through too. The finish is slightly acidic with moderate but sufficient hops.
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Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 9 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8
500 ml capped bottle. Poured in a Scottish Ale stemmed glass a dark ruby-burgundy-brown coloured S A with a one finger fine, creamy and tan foamy head that had a very long retention and tons of micro bubbles. Soft carbonation. Some lacing. The aroma is roasted malts, intense roasted coffee beans, cocoa powder, fruity, figs, dark berries, blackcurrant. The flavour is roasted malts, dark bitter chocolate, coffee beans, spicy, licorice, vanilla and a peppery touch, fruity, dark berries, notes of ashes. The mouthfeel is sparkling and amazing smooth. The texture is oily. This light bodied S A has a dry and light bitter finish. A well balanced and very pleasant Scottish Ale. Well-done !
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Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 9 | Flavor: 10 | Overall: 9
Pours a deep, dark, intense brown with what little light passing through giving it a hint of ruby as well. Dark chocolate and deep roasted malts produce ample pleasant sweetness. Smallish tan head. Velvet smooth in the mouth and a warm finish. Very well-done Scottish Ale.
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Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8
It pours a very dark-brown with a thick light-tan head and copious lacing. An aroma of roasted malts, coffee, chocolate, vanilla, light hops, nuts, beans, orange and citrus, and light spices. The mouthfeel is smooth and rich. Flavors of roasted malts, hops, coffee, chocolate, orange and citrus, nuts, and spices. Excellent, it seems like a mix of stout and scottish ale.
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Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8
Pours a dark black brown with a medium tan head leaving some tight lacing. Smoke, peat earthiness, big malts, cocoa and coffee in the aromas. Taste has a bit of the smokiness and earthiness with a hint of Scotch with tons of malts, a touch of bitter chocolate and coffee then some caramel sweetness. Another good beer from Orkney.
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Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 7
As so pours a black, stout like colored ale. Disappointing in a weak, soapy, tan head that disappears quickly enough. A soapy ring is left. The aroma is of woods, peat and balanced with a background of malty sweetness. Nice body is full enough. The taste is chocolate and roasted malt. A nice, refreshingly flavorful ale.
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Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 9
I got this one from bluesandbarbq, Aroma of smoke, chocolate, coffee, and roasted malts, it poured a murky brown body, thick and creamy head. Flavors of coffee with chocolate and nut undertones, the roasted malts give it a smokey flavor that reminded me of a smoked porter, complex and interesting with a slight hop presence in the finish. I didnt find any of the dark fruit flavors as advertised, still it was a really enjoyable, well balanced brew thats worth a try. Thanks Louis!
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Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 10 | Flavor: 10 | Overall: 9
Pours a dark brown with a low but firm head ... wow, this is wonderful stuff... pure and delicious ... a true classic brew that completely satisfies .. smokey and balanced, so much flavour in a small abv beer ... an almost perfect Scottish ale!!!
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Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 6 | Overall: 6
Not a bad beer. Poured a rich, dark color with a somewhat fleeting head. I can't exactly place the aroma, but it was quite pleasant. A chocolate/coffee taste with a hint of smoke. I had it in the frig and that was a mistake since as the beer warmed the flavor really came out. Definitely worth a try.
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Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 7
Nothing really special about this nice beer. A little bit of sweetness on the palate gives way to a smokey, chocolatey, carmelish flavor that reminded me more of a smoked porter than a Scottish Ale. Aroma is malty sweet, perhaps a bit fruity and gives you no early signs of what is to comes when the beer his your tastebuds. Very nice beer.
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Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8
Bottle. Near black with a thick tan head. Aroma of roasted malts & coffee. Flavours are roasted malts, chocolate, coffee and caramel. Some dark fruit and brown sugar in there as well. Creamy medium bodied mouthfeel. Would benefit from a bit more alcohol, but still very good.
