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

(Cask conditioned). Sampled at the Wear Valley CAMRA beer festival. (Room temperature, low natural carbonation). Copper coloured. A Scottish "heavy" like it should be. Good, but not so very special. Aviemore brewery changed its name in 2001 to Cairngorm brewery. Cairngorm also brew Tomintoul beers.

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

Rerate bottle, pasteurised: 500 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal, Stavanger. Amber to brown colour, large off-white head. Moderate malty aroma, slightly sourish. Flavour is also moderately malty with low bitterness, fairly dry. Mouthfeel is "dusty" and slightly sourish, not very rich. Drinkable, but better cask conditioned. Original rating: Sampled cask conditioned in Scotland. Copper coloured. Smooth and pleasant Scottish "heavy". Nice malty aroma and flavour. I'm ready for another one any time.

Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 10 | Mouthfeel: 9 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 9

33 cl bottle, bought at Selfridge’s, London. Beautiful brown to ruby colour, good beige head. Complex aroma of oak and sandalwood, some pine too, old sherry, leather, pipe tobacco, sour cherries, prunes, hints of smoke . Flavour is woody with a pronounced roastiness, coffee notes, strong tea, hints of bitter chocolate, excellent hoppy bitterness. A truly delightful beer!

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

Cask halfpint at The Grill, Aberdeen. Deep golden colour, white head. Moderate aroma of citrussy hops. The flavour has a slight malty sweetness with hints of toffee and caramel, but also decent citrussy hops. Enjoyable.

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

355 ml bottle, vintage 2014, Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 10.2%, 50 IBU. Deep ruby colour, large to moderate off-white to beige head. Aroma of Scotch whisky and bourbon, vanilla, oak, chocolate, grain and dust. Medium sweet flavour with the same elements as the aroma, also a distinct hoppy bitterness in the finish. Warming mouthfeel. Not bad at all.

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

Shared 750 ml bottle, ABV 8.7%. From Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. Hazy deep reddish brown colour, large off-white to beige head. Very nice aroma of rich malts, brown kandij sugar, molasses and Belgian ale yeast. Malty flavour, moderate notes of kandij sugar, but not too sweet. Very moderate hops (Aalst Hallertauer).

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 6 | Overall: 6

355 ml bottle, Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 7.7%. Very dark brown colour, thin beige head of poor retention. Malty aroma, some caramel and a hint of wood, but a bit anonymous. A faint hint of smoke. Malts, caramel and wood in the medium sweet flavour too, minimal hops. Not a bad beer, but this is not my favourite style.

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

330 ml bottle, as Skudenes 1st Officer Scotch Ale. ABV is 7%. Ruby to chestnut colour, moderate to small off-white head. Malty aroma with notes of caramel and dark dried fruits, some vinous and oaky hints. The flavour is malty with the same elements as the aroma, but the sweetness is moderate. Very moderate hops, as expected from the style. Enjoyable beer.

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

440 ml can, at Cardinal Pub, Stavanger. ABV is 7.2%. Brown colour, moderate off-white head. Aroma and flavour of malts, caramel, heather flowers and heather honey, fruity hints of dark berries, raisins and prunes, minimal hops, extremely drinkable.

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

500 ml bottle, as Grauballe Mosebryg Mørk, from Hos Walter, Ebeltoft. ABV is 5.6%. Black colour, moderate tan head. Nice malty aroma, notes of light roast, hints of chocolate, mild coffee and smoke. The flavour is slightly on the dry side, with the same elements as the aroma. A faint acidity, hints of prunes. Very moderate hops. Easy drinking.

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

440 ml can, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. ABV is 8.5%. Chestnut to mahogany colour, small off-white head. Aroma of malts, molasses, treacle, oak and whisky. Moderate carbonation. Sweet and malty flavour, notes of brown sugar, caramel, oak and whisky.

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

440 ml can, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. ABV is 9.0%. Black colour, moderate to small tan head. Distinct aroma of bourbon whiskey, roast malts, vanilla and oak. Smooth mouthfeel, moderately warming. The flavour is indeed "heavy on the bourbon", same elements as the aroma. Hints of chocolate too.

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

On tap at Mandag i Annen at Cardinal, a leftover keg from Nærbø Ølfestival. Very dark brown colour, moderate beige head. Pleasant malty aroma, notes of chocolate and heather honey. Rich and malty complex flavour, medium sweet, notes of molasses, chocolate and honey, hints of oak and smoke, moderate hops.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 6 | Overall: 7

Cask half pint at The Grill, Aberdeen. 6.0% ABV. Dark mahogany colour, large beige head. Malty aroma, notes of caramel. Sweet and malty flavour, caramel and molasses, a hint of herbal hop. A tad too sweet for me.

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

330 ml bottle, Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 8.0%. Dark brown colour, moderate to small off-white head. Aroma of malts, minimal smoke, hints of angelica root. Moderately sweet and malty flavour, very moderate smoke, fairly distinct angelica.

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

500 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 4.2%. Deep copper coloured beer, moderate white (slightly off-white?) head. Moderate aroma of malts with some fruity hops, hints of berries. The flavour has notes of lightly roasted malts, hints of caramel, balanced by fruity hops. A moderate bitterness in the aftertaste. Quite good.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

33 cl bottle, as "Gordon Finest Scotch Highland Ale", courtesy of Cardinal pub, Stavanger. ABV is 8.6%.Copper colour, large beige head. Pleasant aroma of malts, caramel and hops. The flavour is very sweet as expected, malts, sugar and caramel galore, but the sweetness is to some degree balanced by decent hops, which linger in the aftertaste. Still, the beer is sweeter than I’d like it to be. But at 8.6% ABV, this is not an easy-drinking refreshment beer anyway. Worth a try, when you know what to expect.

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

500 ml bottle, at Blackfriars, Glasgow. ABV is 7.0%. Voted "Champion Beer of Scotland" - was it in 2004 or something? Beautiful dark amber colour, moderate head. Oaky sherry-like aroma with raisiny notes. Oaky / woody flavour where the alcohol is noticeable, but not too sweet. Bitter finish.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 6 | Overall: 7

500 ml bottle, bought at Peckham's, Glasgow. ABV is 4.3%. Copper coloured beer, moderate off-white head. Nice aroma: nutty, fruity, moderately roasted malts. The flavour is moderately malty and fruity, notes of moderately roasted malts and toffee. Moderate hops. The weird finish is both sourish, soapy and "dusty" at the same time.

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

Cask conditioned at Blackfriars, Glasgow. Described as a "Premium Strong Ale", but I guess most of us don’t think of a 4.8% beer as "strong". Beautiful deep amber colour, creamy head. Nice malty aroma with caramel, and some fruity aromatic hops. Fairly malty flavour with a distinct hoppy bitterness throughout, also notes of caramel and fruit.

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

Bottle, at RBESG 2007 in Glasgow, Grand Tasting. Deep amber colour, moderate head. Woody / oaky aroma, but not very strong. The flavour is fairly sweet and woody.

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

Bottle, at RBESG 2007 in Glasgow, Grand Tasting. Amber / reddish colour. I drank this one too warm, but the beer still had a nice malty and caramel aroma and flavour.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

Bottle, at RBESG 2007 in Glasgow, Grand Tasting. 2006 vintage, bottle #459. Reddish brown colour, off-white head. Strong aroma of rhum-raisin, malts, aromatic hops and alcohol. Malty sweetish flavour, somewhat alcoholic.

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 5 | Flavor: 6 | Overall: 6

500 ml bottle, as "Tullibardine 1488 Majestic Whisky Ale", bought in Edinburgh. ABV is 7.0%. Brewed and bottled by Traditional Scottish Ales Ltd. for the Tullibardine Distillery, using the distillery’s spring water and malted barley. Clear and deep golden colour, pours very fizzy, when the fizziness subsides just a small white head remains. Strange aroma, sweetish / sugary and oaky, with peaty and fruity notes. The flavour is very sweet and alcoholic. There are notes of whisky casks and peat as expected, but I also expected something far drier and maybe more "scotch & club soda"-like, not this overwhelming sweetness. Are there any hops in this beer at all? Still, when you get used to the sweetness, the beer is drinkable - but remains a disappointment.

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

500 ml bottle, bought at Lørenskog Brus-shop. ABV is 4.1%. Golden colour, decent white head. Lovely aroma of fruity and floral hops, notes of honey. The flavour has distinct hops throughout, with grapefruity and nutty notes. Refreshing and moreish. Plenty of hoppy bitterness in the long aftertaste.