Dark Island Reserve - Orkney Brewery

deg

New Hampshire

4.55/5  rDev +11%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

I poured the beer into a glass chalice. It was dark. Some light got through, and the color was dark brown. The head was coffee with cream color. I could smell some fruit. The taste started out heavy on fruit and vanilla and oak. I couldn't taste much peat or other flavors I associate with whisky initially. As I worked through the bottle, more roasty and peaty flavors came out. The beer was easy on my mouth, thick and rich. I noticed a warmth from the alcohol instead of a burn.

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2013 00:21:23 | More by deg

Muhly

Alberta (Canada)

4.49/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from the bottle into a nonic pint glass. Bottled in April 2012 according to the label.

A-dark brown/opaque. Dark tan/brown head pours two fingers with a vigorous pour. Low retention with a wisp of foam remaining after the head drops.

S-dark malts with hints of smoke and charred barrel. Smells a little boozy.

T-a big wallop of roasted dark malts with hints of smoke and oak. Burnt toffee and licorice linger a bit on the tongue.

M-seems pretty round and full. Coats the tongue and finishes with some warm alcohol.

O-an intesely dark ale that slaps you across the face with its boldness. Could have perhaps benefited from another 6 months in the bottle.

Serving type: bottle

03-20-2013 02:00:45 | More by Muhly

nickfl

Florida

4.11/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Orkney dark island reserve

A - Pours with one finger of light tan foam on top of an opaque, black body. The head settles at a moderate pace and leaves light foam.

S - Chocolate, vanilla, cinnamon, and lots of smooth whiskey and smoke,.

T - Dark caramel and toffee up front with a touch of molasses. Some vanilla and chocolate with nutmeg in the middle. Finishes with more dark sugar, spice and whiskey as well as vanilla and cinnamon.

M - Medium-thick body, moderately low carbonation, and a balanced finish.

D - nicely done, the aroma is much better than the flavor, but everything works well in the end.

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2013 19:00:39 | More by nickfl

kylehay2004

Florida

4.1/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Two finger head that dissipates rapidly on a jet black body. Aroma is stronglyof whiskey and scotch, mint, molasses, cinnamon. Flavors are very dull, with the whiskey understated in sharpness but still providing flavor. Supporting notes include dark chocolate, citrus, earthy hops, rye breads and licorice. The aroma is great, the flavor is a little mild but still keeps the whiskey flavor while staying very drinkable. Very nice whiskey aged brew

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2013 03:53:22 | More by kylehay2004

beerdrifter

Germany

4.43/5  rDev +8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Beautiful dark brown pour with a one finger beige head with minimal retention and crazy lacing. The nose is earthy with rich dark caramel malts dominating along with hints of mocha. As it warms, a strong vinous character emerges along with evidence of the barrel aging and hints of whiskey. The taste follows suit, dominated initially by loads of roasty cocoa, espresso, and dark chocolate. As with the nose, the taste really opens up as it warms. Unlike some big barrel aged beers, it's not in your face. The woody vinous notes are subtle but so delicious. Hints of oak, vanilla, whiskey, and dark fruit round it out nicely. The mouthfeel is thick and creamy with a subtle sweet and dry finish. Overall, this is my definition of a comfort beer. Big, but not too big, rich and bold, but not in your face. A world class beer!

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2013 16:19:23 | More by beerdrifter

biboergosum

Alberta (Canada)

4.01/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

750ml, very attractive bottle and label. I've been sitting on this one for over a year, as it's from the Nov 2011 hand bottling, which apparently numbered at 2933. Seems to me the fitting start to a Robert Burns' night, especially one that falls on a Friday. To quote the man himself: 'Critics! Those cut-throat bandits in the paths of fame'. I'll keep that in mind here, dear auld Rabbie.

This beer pours a solid, unrelenting black, with nothing in the way of even the slightest highlight, and two fingers of bubbly, fairly creamy brown mocha head, which settles away at a lazy, but steady pace, leaving some broad swaths of limestone formation lace around the glass.

It smells of musty black fruit - duly soused by strong dark red wine - mildly roasted bready caramel malt, thin vanilla, some dampened woody astringency, watery orange juice, and a further spiced rum/whisky alcohol tint. Yup, this one's gonna be a boozer. The taste is bittersweet chocolate-dipped cherries, injected with a shot of brandy for good measure and grandmas everywhere, more softly acrid, pulpy orange, a middling caramel/toffee malt backbone, edgy oak barrel wood tannins, diluted vanilla, and a musty, earthy wet leafy dryness, where the wetness is alcohol, albeit on its best behavior.

The carbonation is pretty sedate, but does well enough to offer support to the whole deal, the body a sturdy, stout (more on that later) medium-full weight, and smooth at most measurable junctures, the flat woodiness a sometime offender. It finishes on the sweet side, with the caramel malt finally coming around, the dark vinous fruit holding fast, and the warm vanilla oakiness completing the lulling circle.

It is a bit strange that I get more wine barrel than whisky cask in terms of woody adjuncts, given the proclaimed Orkney-local production methods. Oh well, esters are a funny thing, they can act as the chimera, rendering things in a slightly different manner from what they truly are. Anyhow, this is a splendid Scottish ale, with strong dry stout predilections, well integrated barrel notes, and a much more subtle alcohol profile than I was led to believe up until quite recently. Worth the wait, indeed, and I feel that I have not let today's celebratory poet down, at least not yet.

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2013 02:13:45 | More by biboergosum

UCLABrewN84

California

4.21/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 4.25

Bottle pour for New Brew Thursday's 3rd Anniversary event held at Beachwood BBQ & Brewing in Long Beach, CA.

Thanks to Wowcoolman for sharing this one.

Pours an opaque black with a foamy dark khaki head that settles to wisps of film on top of the beer. Small dots of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of dark roasted malt, cocoa, dark fruits, port, whisky, and wood. Taste is much the same with a slightly sour fruity flavor on the finish. There is a mild amount of roasty bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp and medium bodied mouthfeel. Overall, this is a very good beer that is tasty and rich.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2013 01:35:17 | More by UCLABrewN84

Alieniloquium

Florida

3.83/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

750 mL bottle poured into a Kuhnhenn snifter. April 2012 bottle.

Appearance - Deep brown. Completely opaque. Small khaki head. Big bubbles as it settles. Very leggy upon swirling.

Smell - Buckets of butterscotch, whoah. Peaty whiskey permeates behind it, but butterscotch all over. Deep caramel malts, verging on chocolate malts.

Taste - Much more whiskey presence here, but still a ton of butterscotch. The whiskey is smokey and peaty and, in the aftertaste, almost salty. The finish is a little bitter, perhaps exacerbated by the briny flavor.

Mouthfeel - Not terribly heavy, but also no alcohol. I'm looking for a bit more chewiness to it for all the barrel it has. The finish is whiskey dominant.

Overall - Obviously a far cry from Dark Island, but that isn't a bad thing. Hell of an expensive bottle, but that doesn't surprise me so much these days. Good beer and very different from normal stuff I drink.

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2012 00:30:57 | More by Alieniloquium

siradmiralnelson

Iowa

4.23/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from 750ml swing top bottle into Globe glass.

A. 1 finger of dark tan head. Color is all black. Pretty thick lacing. Really good retention. Pours out looking like a stout.

S. Hot damn. Sucker smells boozey. Has a defiantly whiskey smell to it. Get past that and there is quite a bit of malt aroma or roasted malt, and caramel. Has a bit of a spicey background that is somewhat hard to pin down.

T. The aroma had me feeling like I would be sipping a whiskey bomb. The flavor is quite refined and quite good. This definitely borders the line between Scottish Ale and Stout. Really nice flavors of both styles. Roasted malt, caramel, some oakiness on the finish. All while being pretty damn smooth. Some pretty sweet vanilla notes come out more as it warms.

M. Medium/full bodied. Medium carbonation.

O. Aroma had me a little concerned. Taste didnt dissapoint. I was pretty impressed with this beer. Has really good qualities of a Scottish ale and Imperial Stout. Good beer. Lots of flavor and smooth to drink.

Serving type: bottle

11-06-2012 23:18:03 | More by siradmiralnelson

Bouleboubier

Pennsylvania

3.55/5  rDev -13.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Huh - bought 2 bottles of this in Edinburgh in August 2009. Opened one upon returning home from that trip and opened the other 2 weeks ago.... Quite different experiences...

The first bottle drank like a supremely mellow Imperial or Baltic Porter (sorry, best comparative "style" that comes to mind). Mineral and light-medium bodied with a smooth, seemingly aged cocoa/coffee-roasty center. Alcohol barely poking through. Fairly well-balanced, if nothing spectacular and surely easy to put back the entire bottle of.

After countless proposed yet passed-on occasions for which to open the second bottle, I along with my good friend and brother finally opened the second bottle less than a month ago and we found a brew way further along in its development -

It poured out like brackish swamp water - the darkest brown with an almost grey tinge to the slight and scummy, plump-bubbled, and swift-diminishing foam. Not looking like a "Scottish ale" - it's a dark-fruited porter, my friend...

Purple grape skins and vaguely port wine in the nose. Oxidation, sweet corruption, for sure. Nearly off-putting unless you knew what you may be getting into. Some black licorice and char, though mellow.

Hardly a chore to sip, but I'm glad we shared this... Actually wish we would've aged this for another 3 years - mellow it all further. Much vinous, but pleasing against the fading background of roasty, chocolaty malt though, as I suggested, it probably could've benefited from an extra-extended conditioning. Caught it in transition?

Moderately silky and smooth going down - maybe something best savored low-60s in a snifter (we used cruddy Ikea drinking glasses, roughly mixer-shaped - bleck! i know...).

Hey - I wasn't blown away initially (3 years back) by this, however, drinking it now, I've probably for the first time experienced a "cellared" (if not ideally) strong ale. Interesting. Some things to take forward...

Serving type: bottle

08-21-2012 05:20:44 | More by Bouleboubier

zaphodchak

Virginia

4.6/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Some light lacing coffee opaque brown, some brown highlights.

Smell portends greatness. Faint booze, port, smokiness. Truly magnificent.

Taste does the nose justice. Port, a trace of soy sauce and leather, finishing on plum, black currant, and a trace of spice. This is amazing.

Oily, not too too thick, but pretty thick.

This is a great beer. The price point suggests it and the beer delivers. At the price, I probably wouldn't buy it, but if you have a chance to try it (or go in halvsies), I highly recommend it.

Serving type: bottle

07-28-2012 00:54:46 | More by zaphodchak

SawDog505

New Hampshire

4.25/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a 20 oz Duvel tulip, bottled in late 2011. Pours a magnificent almost black with a 3 inch dark tan head, with beautiful lace. Smell is dark fruit, leather, tobacco, apricot, smoke, dark chocolate, and whiskey. Taste is all that, apricot starts, with leather and dark chocolate, and obviously some whiskey in the finish. Body is medium to heavy perfect, great amount of carbonation, a little dry as expected, and drinkability is exactly what you would expect. Thanks Tom for bringing this to celebrate my daughters birth, excellent beer!

Serving type: bottle

07-19-2012 23:26:37 | More by SawDog505

danieelol

Australia

4.05/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Thanks to Chris @ Slowbeer

Bottled 27 March 2010. Consumed 16 June 2012.

Pours dark brown/black with small head but great lacing.

Smell was apparent when I first popped the cap. Lovely potent whisky/chocolate aromas. Behind that and the yummy booze there's a fairly strong apple juice note. Lots of caramel and oak. Pretty awesome nose really.

Taste is again lots of smoke. There's also quite a lot of somewhat sour apple juice. Seriously, it's almost exactly like apple juice. Balanced though, and really pretty drinkable for 10%. Booze comes through, but gets more balanced and malty as I get through the bottle.

Mouthfeel is medium and a little sweet, still manageable.

Overall a very enjoyable beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-17-2012 16:10:22 | More by danieelol

AngusOg

Maryland

3.83/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Vintage 2007- Swing Top 750 ml Bottle
Decided to crack this one Saturday night while relaxing and wacthing the Stanley Cup finals. Poured into a snifter. Dark black with just the slight trace of a tan head. Smells strong of whiskey, some choclate and vanilla, some fig/dried fruit, some roastiness, but alot of whiskey, i feel like i'm about to take a sip of whiskey rather than beer. Taste is much the same, although luckily not quite dominated by the whiskey as much as the aroma is. Also, definitely got better as it warmed, (probably should have let it sit a bit before cracking it),the other flavors shine through more. Definitely not a lot of carbonation here. Overall, maybe a tad too much whiskey for my liking for this beer to truely blow me away, but still made for a very enjoyable Saturday night while sipping on this one. (slept well too.)

Serving type: bottle

06-11-2012 14:41:44 | More by AngusOg

mdagnew

United Kingdom (Northern Ireland)

4.65/5  rDev +13.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

750ml swing top bottle bought from Peckhams, Edinburgh... aged for about 3 years...

Poured jet black - nothing gets through even when held up to the light. Creamy brown head poured quite thick and fizzy then faded fairly quickly to almost nothing... very faint lacing...

Aroma - Strong roasted malts, chocolate mixed with strong espresso coffee, some blackcurrent/blackberry notes, leathery, woody, liquorice / anise, good vanilla traces, some tar, spicy hops, treacle/burnt sugar, some alcohol traces...

Taste - Strong roasted malt bitterness, smokey notes, vanilla, definite black coffee, creamy dark chocolate, peppery hops, lots of liquorice, some nutty sweetness, molasse and treacle, alcohol warmth just coming through...

Feel - Very smooth and creamy with just a little sharpness after... pretty full bodied...

Overall - An excellent barrel aged brew... highly recommended if you can track it down..

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2011 13:49:06 | More by mdagnew

AgentZero

Illinois

3.2/5  rDev -22%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A - Brown colored beer with some red on the edges. Tan head left some spots and stick on the sides.

S - Not quite what I would have expected from a Scottish Ale, and also seems a bit infected. Some butter, whiskey, toffee and sharpie.

T - Peaty whiskey with some dark fruits, toffee, and a bit of brown sugar. The butter taste is still there as well. I find it all kind of weird, not necessarily unpleasant, but wouldn't say I'm a huge fan.

M - Lighter bodied, dry finish, lower carbonation.

O - Was not a very big fan of this beer, but it could very well be taht I didn't understand the style well enough. That being said, I just didn't really like drinking it a whole lot.

Serving type: bottle

11-23-2011 22:19:20 | More by AgentZero

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

4.7/5  rDev +14.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Opened this and shared a bottle with my cousins at my grandmothers 80th birthday party over the weekend. I had been super excited to try this one since I got it a few months ago. The Beer poured out black, and thick looking. There was a thin brownish colored head on top that hung around for a good while but since I was sipping this for over an hour but the time I finished it was gone. The smell of this beer is awesome, the aromas of whiskey, wood, apple, cherry, roasted malts and chocolate all spew from the glass into the nose. The taste of this beer is really really nice, the aromas that are on the nose come full force onto the tongue for a really crazy joyride of flavors from start to finish. The apples and cherries come in a little tart up front but the roast malts keep it sweet and then in the aftertaste the chocolate dominates without and doubt. The mouthfeel of this beer has a really nice semi-thick body to it with some light carbonation. Overall this beer is very impressive. Hands down it has to be Orkney's best and I really enjoy Skullsplitter. This one just has so much to offer, it's not cheap by any means but I could see myself having this one again someday.

Serving type: bottle

11-15-2011 05:34:42 | More by Knapp85

BDTyre

British Columbia (Canada)

4.22/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Grabbed from a shop on Princes Street in Edinburgh...apparently bottled almost a year ago, but still tastes great.

Darky ruby, almost black, with a very thin but fluffy khaki head. Oak, scotch, wine, chocolate, fruit and coffee. Taste is predominantly oak, scotch, wine and chocolate. No hops are noticeable. Definite alcohol burn, but at 10% what can you expect? Excellent after-dinner beer - one to share for sure. Low carbonation, and definitely a sipper.

Great contrast to the normal Dark Island. A big beer, and one put away for sure.

Serving type: bottle

11-11-2011 22:29:58 | More by BDTyre

MasterSki

Illinois

3.83/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Firstly, I don't think this beer is retired as I'm certain I heard of a new batch being available. In any case, my bottle was from the September 3rd, 2008 batch of 1568 bottles. Thanks to Reagan1984 for picking up this pricey offering for me. Served in a Cigar City snifter.

A - Quick-dissolving tan foam settles to a thin collar, leaving some concentric wisps, but minimal splotches of lace. Dark brown body with some reddish highlights when held to the light.

S - Extremely buttery - reminds me of fudge actually. There's some milk chocolate, cashews, and toffee, followed by an unusual juxtaposition of salty whisky, smoked meats, and light permanent marker. My friends think this is infected, but I just think it's a very buttery beer with a very salty scotch influence.

T - The taste has more of the whisky influence to it, with notes of smoke, peat, salt, iodine, and wood over top of a toffee, chocolate, and dark fruit malt backdrop. Less overt buttery flavors, which is appreciated, but also not quite as rich as the aroma. Char and peat constitute the lingering finish.

M - This is one extremely dry and tannic beer, and the body is shockingly thin for 10% - I'd call it medium-light in fact. There's a bit of stickiness mid-palate, but the alcohol is shockingly well-hidden. Carbonation is fairly low.

D - A very strange flavor combination here, and one that is likely very polarizing. Packaging this in a 750ml bottle was certainly a mistake, as five of us were barely able to finish half the bottle. I appreciate provocative and new flavor combinations, but this is one that would be best served in 4oz portions.

Note: Since this was in a swing-top I took the leftover beer home and tried it again the next day. I discovered that I actually liked it quite a bit more. I'll still probably end up baking with a portion of this beer, but I'd argue that this is best appreciated on a clean palate.

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2011 17:34:53 | More by MasterSki

NilsFrisk

Norway

4.53/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

When you pour it into a glass, you can see the intense body of it, but it does not give much of a head.
Smells roasty, but with this kind of old unfamiliar smell, maybe a bit oaky.
The taste is powerful, a lot of sweet maltiness, quite a bit booze, some roasty bitterness and a full delicious body to wrap it all inn. Too bad it is a limited edition.

Serving type: bottle

11-08-2011 22:08:34 | More by NilsFrisk

cjgator3

Florida

4.33/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 3 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 4.5

750ml bottle

A- Pours a dark brownish black color. Not much carbonation in the bottle so this doesn't produce much of a head.

S- The aroma is dark malts, plums, figs, vanilla, whiskey and wood from the barrel aging. 

T- The taste has a malty sweetness up front with molasses, chocolate, whiskey and woody flavors as well. Very smooth for a 10% ABV beer.

M- The mouthfeel is medium bodies with a low amount of carbonation.

O- Overall, I really enjoyed this beer.  It is a really nice barrel aged beer that is recommended!

Serving type: bottle

10-22-2011 02:19:24 | More by cjgator3

dgilks

Australia

3.98/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Inky black with a smooth, creamy tan head. Good head retention with a quarter inch head remaining over the beer after the initial head dissipates.

Rich, dried fruits with figs, dates and raisins all coming through. Mild whisky notes with a distinct alcohol sweetness. Nice.

Smooth but slightly thin malt with some drawn out dried fruits and a touch of alcohol. Slightly nutty. For me this is a touch thin and while the flavours are good I wish there was a bit more malt and body. Slightly tart.

Medium-light body with moderate carbonation. I think the lightness in the body is a little bit too much and this deserves a thickness that isn't here.

This is a good beer with a stunning based but the barrel aging process has drawn out the beer and made it a bit thin making the beer less delicious from with the fruitiness and barrel notes not having enough malt and body to support them.

Serving type: bottle

08-08-2011 09:12:13 | More by dgilks

thagr81us

South Carolina

3/5  rDev -26.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

Bottled March 27, 2010. Served from swing-top bottle into a Stone nonic. Poured pitch black with a minimal light tan head. Maintained decent lacing throughout the glass. The aroma was comprised of sweet malt, caramel, alcohol, wood, and chocolate. The flavor was of sweet malt, caramel, alcohol, and slight mothballs (oxidation perhaps?). It had a medium feel on the palate with low carbonation. Overall I was not really a massive fan of this one. The slight mothball flavor coupled with the alcohol made this one tough to get through. The mothball flavor wasn't very strong at all as it was quite muted, but still present nonetheless. Upon opening this thing I was concerned I would take a sip and drain pour it, but I was actually able to finish the full bottle. Just took quite awhile...

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2011 20:30:31 | More by thagr81us

cpetrone84

Pennsylvania

3.08/5  rDev -24.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Big thanks to Sara for sharing this one!

A-pours a deep brown black color with a bright tan colored head.

S-the nose is boozy with notes of port wine and just a hint of whiskey. there is a strong malt presence with notes of chocolate and bitter coffee. light malt sweetness of dark fruits soaked in alcohol come in the back.

T-the taste is different, it is sweeter and less boozy, the malt stands out, hints of chocolate and roasted malt, plenty of dark fruit sweetness of dark fruits soaked in alcohol. the booze isn't as strong but the port sherry flavors are there.

M-smooth and creamy on the palate, good bit of carbonation with a crisp rough finish.

D-this has an interesting aspect, lots of booze and sweetness with a strong malt presence. somewhat straight forward and rather sweet.

Serving type: bottle

09-26-2010 00:07:59 | More by cpetrone84

FreshHawk

Illinois

4.47/5  rDev +9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A - Dark black with a deep brown hue on the edge. Smaller than average foamy and fairly creamy, dark tan head. Disappears pretty fast leaving behind a thin patchy lace.

S - Oaky, whisky aroma with a good amount of vanilla as well with a spicy, peaty aroma. Some chocolate fudge-like aroma with a bit of roasted malt and dark fruit, especially black currant. Interesting and enjoyable aroma.

T - Similar to the nose with dark chocolate and roasted malt starting out. Strong whisky flavors come out and remain with peat/oaky flavors along with a pretty strong amount of vanilla. Dark fruit and anise come out a bit stronger mid to end sip. Fairly sweet, but the whisky peat and spiciness cuts that a bit. A rich, chewy malty beer overall with an enjoyable mix of chocolaty malt and whisky.

M - Medium body with moderate carbonation. Rich and slightly slick feeling.

D - Pretty drinkable. Alcohol is present but it isn't overly strong, and it works fine with the whisky presence. A little on the sweet side, but the whisky cuts that nice. Definitely a sipper, but one I kept wanting to sip.

Notes: Overall I really liked the mix of whisky and rich chocolaty malt along with a good showing of dark fruit. I liked the mixture of sweet and whisky, neither are too powerful and work well together.

Serving type: bottle

08-10-2010 02:04:41 | More by FreshHawk