Dark Island - Orkney Brewery

BigBry

Alberta (Canada)

4.23/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

One of the pints that we enjoyed at our new-found favorite pub - The Bon Accord.
A very, dark beer (very Guinness-like) with deep ruby high lights when held to the light. Tight, long lasting, off white head. Thick lace coats the glass, almost an inch of foam lesft at the bottom of the glass.
Smells of bitter chocolate, dried fruits like figs or dates. Roasted malt with some hints of coffee.
All of the same flavors as the aromas: chocolate, coffee and roast malt. Fruity sweetness like plum or prune. Just the right amount of hoppy bitterness at the end. Thick and creamy body, silky smooth mouthfeel.
This was a great beer, one of the high lights.

Serving type: cask

09-22-2012 03:20:39 | More by BigBry

BlackHaddock

United Kingdom (England)

4.38/5  rDev +10.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I can’t believe I’ve not reviewed a beer from The Orkney Brewery before, must have drank too many and forgot to write about them! This review will right that wrong.

Hand pulled pint into a UK sleeve in The Baron of Beef, Cambridge.

Dark, dark brown body with an off-white head of smooth foam. The head stayed and gave some good lacing.

The smells where of rich malty molasses with coffee/toffee, all roasted over an open fire.

The taste was of a chocolate laden fruit and nut cake baked a little too long, taken with a bitter coffee. Add some alcohol and you’re almost there, I liked it!

Heavy mouthfeel, but in great condition, with a lovely soft carbonisation, only really found in well kept darker cask ales.

Serving type: cask

01-06-2012 11:22:08 | More by BlackHaddock

champ103

Texas

4.43/5  rDev +11.6%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

A: Pours a dark brown with ruby highlights around the edges. A perfect two finger tan head forms that sticks throughout. Sticky, spiderweb lace is left in sheets. I don't think a beer could look any better.
S: A light roasted malt aroma with coffee and chocolate. Though the aroma is not very big. An odd mineral aroma detracts a bit.
T: A great roasted malt flavor of smoke, peat, coffee, chocolate, and toffee. Excellent.
M/D: A medium to full body. So rich, creamy, and smooth. Really easy to drink. Just a little to much alcohol for the perfect session beer. Though you will be hard pressed to find something more enjoyable.

This is almose perfect on cask. One of my all time favorite beers. This is a must if you see it on cask.

Serving type: cask

06-12-2010 13:42:18 | More by champ103

bcdees47

Texas

4.15/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I had this one from the cask. It's a dark beer, but by no means opaque. Smells of chocolate, malt, and perhaps a hint of fruit. It tastes of coffee and chocolate, lots of roasted flavours, but also has some acidic, almost fruity notes mixed in there. I found this one quite drinkable.

Serving type: cask

05-10-2009 17:43:09 | More by bcdees47

Stephen63

United Kingdom (Scotland)

4.08/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - Impressive dark body and well maintained head that lasted to the bottom of the pint.

S - Malty with ground coffee like smokimess.

T - Really hits the spot, just the right level of bitterness and lovely smokey feel in the finish. Nice and rich.

M - Very pleasant carbonation.

D - Bit high on alcohol for me to have too many pints but the one I had did not last very long!

A fine beer that made me forget about the miserable torrential rain outside. Definitely a must try as a cask beer.

Serving type: cask

03-02-2007 22:24:36 | More by Stephen63

dedrinker

Kansas

4.35/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Root beer color, peaty/ earthy aroma and flavor. This was a very nice mellow ale for modest comfort-quaffing after coming in out of the cold. It made me want to wear a sweater. Cask-conditioned gives it that extra edge on aroma, flavor and mouth feel. At the bar that served it I suddenly wished I had arrived without my friends so I could take the last chair by the fire to close my eyes and slowly pour this beer down my hatch.

Serving type: cask

02-12-2007 06:29:08 | More by dedrinker

seanyfo

United Kingdom (Scotland)

4/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

served on cask at local wetherspoons

A: Dark with nice full creamy light tan head, that lasts throughout the pint

S: Some nice earthy malt sweetness, no hops to speak of, subtle smokey nuttiness

T: this is very earthy indeed. Lots of smokey peaty coffee like notes mixed with a gentle nutty malt sweetness, that gives this a lovely balance that is not overwhelming and is defintely something different for a scottish ale

M: very smooth with low carbotion, firm body, no wateriness detected.

D: a nice change from traditional scottish ales, smokey nutty aspect makes it very warming, a nice Cold January fireside ale

Serving type: cask

01-31-2007 14:07:53 | More by seanyfo

kmacphail

United Kingdom (Scotland)

4.43/5  rDev +11.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Probably one of the most regular of the Orkney beers to be found in the south of Scotland.

A very nice pint arrived, looking very close to a Guinness from accross the bar. Dark brown in colour with a creamy head, this lasted the duration of the pint.

The smell of burnt malts and chocolate with a hint of fruitiness is totally different from the tamer bottled version. This malty and chocolate taste continues through with a nice smokey character in the initial taste, this is then followed with a nice variety of fruits, none too dominant, but this is to the beers advantage I think.

The beer swirled very well round the mouth, nice and full of body, but still very drinkable. This was consumed in the New Bazaar in Dumfries (Scotland), a number of the lads stayed on it all night. A very drinkable beer, much more suited to the cask rather than bottle.

Serving type: cask

11-16-2006 12:31:40 | More by kmacphail

Dithyramb

Maryland

4.13/5  rDev +4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Presentation: Served from the cask into an imperial pint glass at Cafe Royal in Edinburgh

Appearance: Chill hazed dark reddish brown with big thick, light tan head. Beautiful lacing

Smell: Peaty complexities, mixed with a creamy coffee like aroma

Taste: Smokey peat flavors on the front end. Mellowed with a smooth chocolate and coffee malt flavors. Very light fruity hop bitterness on the tongue.

Extremely creamy and drinkable off the cask. This one was complex and very tasty. A little light on the mouthfeel for a Scottish ale, but very enjoyable and worth a few.

Serving type: cask

03-16-2005 16:56:32 | More by Dithyramb

francisweizen

Australia

4/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On-Cask at some shady bar in Edinburgh :-)

A dark red/brown/near black brew with a thick head of creamy foam, especially for a hand-pulled pint o' goodness. Aromas are of rich smoky malts, caramel, and other sweet-ish malt esters. There are also some faint floral hops detectable within the sweet roasty mess of this brews aroma. The taste is quite intriguing. I taste molasses, and other sweet/sugary flavors as well as those faint hops and a nice roasty/smoky flavor in the finish as well. Mouthfeel is creamy and thick, without being too thick, and scotch-ale like. Drinkability is very good, this is a very 'quaffable' dark ale, if I do say so myself. I agree that this is like a dark mild as well. Almost like a dark mild, light scotch ale hybrid. Very nice regardless. I never liked the skullsplitter, it may be time to try it again. Perhaps I should track it down on cask?

Serving type: cask

11-18-2004 08:09:19 | More by francisweizen

cypressbob

United Kingdom (Northern Ireland)

4/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap, cask

Pours with a dark brown body, slightly hazy body. Light, fuzzy head, thin, has little retention

Smell, malt, yeasty also. Little hop bitterness, but a burnt smokey aroma coming off

Taste, dry and smokey, almost like a thin stout. Yeasty finish

A nice ale, something a bit different

Serving type: cask

07-09-2004 19:48:17 | More by cypressbob

ybnorml

Rhode Island

4.33/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Very dark brown almost black in color with ruby tints. Good creamy off white head some lace. Big malty aroma with a good heft of roasted malt in there. Delicious rich coffee note blended with a nice smooth roasted bitterness. A good robust beer that stood up well with my curry.

Serving type: cask

07-01-2004 23:26:17 | More by ybnorml

Doiv

United Kingdom (England)

4.1/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

This is, without a shadow of doubt, one of the finest stouts I have tasted. This succeeds where Guiness Draught goes wrong – instead of being smooth and creamy, Island is coarse and fluid. It is almost akin to drinking a pint of charcoal, and one could even call it a session stout. The closest rival I have found is probably Hopback’s Entire Stout.

Serving type: cask

03-07-2004 15:56:57 | More by Doiv

Kongquistador

Illinois

4.28/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured, this is an attractive but not especially eye-catching beer. It recommends with a nice dark color, dark red, like a transparent burgandy. The head is light brown, definetely not tan, and is thin, dense, and lasting, although it disappears quicker in the bottled version, as you might expect. It can be seen through, but only when held straight up to a light. The nose is business-like malts, very complex though. Initial characterless malty sweetness gives way instantly to a variety of flavours. A nice grainy element is omnipresent, but swirling aromas of raisins and caramel also play a major role. Almost hop-like fruity elements at points, an exceptional smell.

This definetly needs to be served at warmer than refirderator temperatures. Service from the bottle risks missing the exciting flavors that lie under the surface. Although it is a dark beer, and at points I want to call it a porter, there is much more to the taste than a standard chocolate and coffee with a bit of burnt fruit. Both coffee and chocolate make a delightfully subdued appearance, not dominating the malt as you might imagine. Fruity flavours strike you from the first, mostly dark, raisin and currant aromas. Almost striking is the lack of a caramel flavour, which while puzzling, seems to work just fine in the beer, helping it assemble a non-standard flavour profile. The flavours all blend well in the cask, with no hoppy elements sneaking through to steal the show from the malts.

Many people mention peaty elements in this brew, both smell and taste, and while they are certainly present, it really seems to reinforce the other flavours, rather than creating a distinct place for itself. It is in many respects like a heather ale, nice and fruity, but with a smoky twist that is unexpected in the standard malt profile. A nice touch.

Mouthfeel is a bit thin for me, especially as this is a dark beer, with a lot of flavour. Considering it is on cask, with low carbonation and a nice slow pour, it seems like there should be something more to grip onto. It would be nice to have it sit around your mouth a little longer, and the lack of a strong finish means it never leaves those delicious tastes lingering in the mouth. Other than that, it is a fine beer, highly drinkable, and delicious on cask.

In the bottle, this is a tasty brew as well, and not very different at all from cask. Flavours stick out more individually than the more blended cask, and the mouthfeel is a bit thinner yet, but still eminetly drinkable.

Serving type: cask

03-06-2004 19:50:11 | More by Kongquistador

rastaman

United Kingdom (England)

2.85/5  rDev -28.2%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Fairly pleasant. Sweetish malts at the start (chocolate+ a t touch of sugar and also some toffee). nice roasty, peaty finish, thin-ish body with some sourness, musty, sulfuric, and maybe a bit unexciting, but fairly easy to drink. Cask at Chelmsford Beer fest 03'.

Serving type: cask

09-10-2003 01:28:44 | More by rastaman

lackenhauser

Maryland

4.35/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Had this puppy in the States in the bottle and was fortunate enough to try it in Edinburgh on cask-AMAZING.Poured a beautiful deep dark burgundy with a slight head about 1/4 inch thick.The aroma was mild malt and hops.A great malty flavor prevails with hints of caramel and some slight vanilla.Just a kiss of hops comes thru.Smooth as silk and an overall very drinkable brew.It dragged us back to the same pub twice in 2 days.Well worth seeking out if and when visiting Scotland.Would like to get to the brewery someday..sigh..............

Serving type: cask

06-20-2003 18:22:08 | More by lackenhauser

John

New York

4.03/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Wonderfully rich, dark appearance. A nicely pulled pint, with a creamy, dense head. Sweetish, light molasses, raisin bready aroma. Fruitiness, hop and some very mild peat interplay to make this a bittersweet treat. I thought as I quaffed, that this could be catagorized as a dark mild as well. The body is substantial enough without being too heavy. A fine brew.

Serving type: cask

06-10-2002 10:00:53 | More by John

Sigmund

Norway

4.9/5  rDev +23.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

This one of the very best (moderate strength) beers I've ever had (from cask). Aroma and flavour of dried fruits, coffee and liqourice. Can't think of any faults with it.

Serving type: cask

04-05-2002 04:26:53 | More by Sigmund

shand

Florida

4.38/5  rDev +10.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Dark Island pours out a lighter black and offers sweet, slightly roasted malts, coffee, and fruit on the nose. The nose is really exceptional. The taste is very good, with fruits and semi-sweet chocolate up front, and smoke lingering on the backend along with some leafy hops and highly roasted coffee. Very well composed, and delicious. The mouthfeel is light and creamy, and the drinkability is great. Overall, Dark Island is an excellent beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-14-2013 01:27:03 | More by shand

BeerRefugee

Oklahoma

3.68/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.75

Pours a very dark brown with a creamy tan had with good retention and lacing. Moderate aroma of coffee, toast and toffee. Flavor is similar with hints of coffee, bitter chocolate, raisins and toffee/brown sugar sweetness. Mouthfeel is a little thin and finish is slightly astringent. Would this beer to be a little more full-bodied, but the flavor is very good.

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2013 20:54:17 | More by BeerRefugee

bmwats

Louisiana

3.66/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 500 ml bottle into a footed tulip.

A: Medium-dark brown. Pours a slight brown white head, which quickly liberates itself from reality leaving only a faint ring. No real lacing.

S: Pungent malty tone with some black cherry, tea leaf, and.... cinnamon rolls?

T: Very light malt character, slightly kriekened, with a little musty peat.

M: Sticky and a little shallow.

D: Goes down easy.

Atmosphere is good. Decent hue, but a very slight head and no lacing. Nose is a great malty, sweet cherry and fresh pastry combination. Flabby and a little shallow slightly sweetened malty tone, balanced with a bit of pungent peat. Overall, this is a pretty good quaff.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2013 03:34:15 | More by bmwats

Bouleboubier

Pennsylvania

3.76/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

(poured into a fat tulip - this bottle seems to me to have been at least 6 months old, if not more, and possibly handled poorly sometime in its history...normally, this beer is pretty good - was a bit off here...)

A: really dark on the pour - appears to be a dark, ruby-brown...nice 1" head on pour that poofed out quickly, leaving barely a slimy collar

S: like an old Eastern European Baltic-style porter...really predominantly fruity, bright and berry-like, matched against a background of light-roasted coffee and a dab of cocoa....i'm wondering if they use a lot of finishing hops or ferment at a higher temperature than normal...perhaps a little oxidized...some mild fig, mint, and cordial/medicinal notes....seems weaker than it should be

T: lightly leathery, mildly soured coffee...just as fruity as it smells - sour cherry?...light cocoa and bittersweet in the aftertaste....bold composition of flavors, yet mellow in their dynamics (if that makes sense)....once again, Baltic porter-like

F: light-ish, clean, but curiously hearty....some silky or slickness as it comes along

O: I've had a better bottle than this, and on cask, it's quite nice-r

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2013 03:35:17 | More by Bouleboubier

StJamesGate

New York

4.1/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Ruby black with puffy beige head that keeps a film.
Oily coffee, Christmas pudding, and chargrilled steak on the nose.
Strong coffee and dark cherries, dried apple, raisin skins and fig relish, a roasty hit, and some bark and earth hops. Some sour malts, a bit of treacle, and hints of woody vanilla, too.
Prune finish and lingering stone fruit tartness.
Medium thinking about full, oily, good bit of chew, cleansing fizz.

More darkness than the usual Scottish ale but more fruit than a porter. Enough carbonation to never cloy and a very reasonable strength. I'd prefer more hops, but not really what this is about.

Couldn't ask for more in February.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2013 22:44:33 | More by StJamesGate

bluejacket74

Ohio

3.96/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

500 ml bottle. Served in a pint glass, the beer pours dark brown with a half inch tan head that stayed around for a while. There's a decent amount of lacing. The brew smells like caramel malt, toffee, dark fruit, roasted malt and a bit of leather and chocolate. It tastes like peat, roasted malt, dark fruit, minerals/salt, chocolate and some coffee. Mouthfeel/body is medium, it's a bit creamy and slick with moderate carbonation. I liked this brew, and at $4.99 a bottle I'd buy this one again in the future.

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2013 01:38:44 | More by bluejacket74

mdagnew

United Kingdom (Northern Ireland)

4/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

500ml bottle bought from The Vineyard, Belfast...

Poured a deep amber colour. Slightly off white head poured fairly loose and frothy then faded quickly to patchy covering with thick edging. No real carbonation... wispy lacing...

Aroma - Quite a lot of toasted bready malts, dried dark fruits (raisins, prunes, also some apples), some light peat / tobacco notes, toasted nuts, leathery traces, sweet muscavado sugar notes, grassy hints...

Taste - A bit of a let down after the decent aroma... watered down lightly toasted malts, dark fruits (raisins, apples, figs), fruit / malt loaf notes, metallic traces, some saltiness, light smoke...

M&D - Quite sharp and dry... light bodied... Fairly drinkable and sessionable...

Overall - A decent enough Scottish ale... worth a try...

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2012 13:56:57 | More by mdagnew