Harviestoun is an Irish brewery so it's fitting that the beer name is in Irish. Ola Dubh translates as Black Oil, rather convenient since this is a stout. My dad has had this beer for over 2 years, maturing in his basement. Now that he and my mom are moving, things that were once forgotten are now being rediscovered. This beer is one of those things. Another one of the things discovered was a Thomas Hardy's Ale 2006. I will not be reviewing it anytime in the near future, as it is a barley wine and it's said that it should mature for a decade (if you have the patients). On with the Ola Dubh!
This is the Special Reserve 12 Ola Dubh. There are 3 varieties: Special Reserve 12, Special Reserve 16 and Special Reserve 30. If I can get a hold of any of these others I will defiantly try them. Similarly to the Innis & Gunn stout, Ola Dubh is aged in Irish Whisky casks. As I said, this "Black Oil" truly lives up to its name. Poured into the glass it was thick and black as crude oil. The only beer I've seen that comes close to this is Guinness. There is a moderate deep tan head that forms, but it dissipates fairly quickly. The first smell I got was that of fruit, though there was also a hint of coffee. There is a really big hit of chocolate with this stout, as well as the taste of coffee and burnt caramel. Ola Dubh is very smooth and rich, but not filling as some stouts can be. I'm having a bit of a difficult time rating this, as about half an hour after I drank it, I got the beginnings of a migraine and I don't know if it's related to the beer or not. I can only rate this on my impressions and on this one that has matured for 2 extra years.
Rating:
May your glass always be full of good beer!
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