Ola Dubh 16

Brewery: Harviestoun Type: Old Ale

Alcohol: 8%

Country: Scotland

I am used to having imperial stouts aged in whisky barrels. This is one of the few normal ales I have had aged in scotch barrels. This beer was aged in 16 year old highland park scotch whisky barrels. So not a bad barrel to be aged in. I certainly see the the comparison to old engine oil. It is a dark opaque beer with a thin tan head. If you asked me without tasting I would say this is a stout for sure. Very sweet smell and a little smoke. The taste is the most interesting part of the beer. The old ale is there, sweet and malty, but beyond that it is all whiskey. Smoke and wood flavoring dominate the flavor of this beer. I really wish I could have tried the whisky that came from this barrel beforehand. I am not sure which I actually like better, an imperial stout aged in this type of barrel, or a more regular ale such as this. An imperial augments the taste of the whisky with a rich complex taste, where this lets more of the whisky taste shine through. I think for this beer it is good that more of the whisky is allowed through. Now I have to try to hunt down this whisky.