Wildcat - Cairngorm Brewery Company, The

Zimbo

United Kingdom (Scotland)

4.1/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Reddish brown to the eye with a strong appearance in the glass this had good head retention and a full nose. Has a tastily dark, deep, and nutty earthiness to it with some elements of caramel and chocolate which are all well integrated. Some firm and lengthy hop bitterness too.
I've heard some people say this can be inconsistent but this has not generally been my experience. It is always a winner in my books.
For quite some time was my favourite Scottish 'bitter'.

Serving type: cask

08-18-2010 18:00:07 | More by Zimbo

mick303

Ontario (Canada)

4/5  rDev +8.7%

02-24-2013 09:36:35 | More by mick303

flyingpig

United Kingdom (Scotland)

3.33/5  rDev -9.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

Bottle (£1.59 from Sainsburys):
A deep copper colour that is clear and topped with a two fingers tall, foamy white head that settles in a nice, thick looking dome shape.

Light on the nose with some earthly hops and nice, roasted malts along with a touch of sweetness and some light grain. This is rounded off with some bitterness and a touch of toffee too.

Pretty much like the aroma with some earthy malts and hops plus a bit of bitterness that compliments the sweet malts. It is more bitter towards the end with a sort of burnt caramel/toffee taste as well.

Medium with moderate carbonation and an almost creamy, bitter feel to the beer with a touch of grain and a dry finish.

This looked great but started to fade after that, it had a nice body and a good creamy palate but it was lacking in both taste and smell with the beer relying too much on the earthy malts and hops taste.

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2013 09:57:33 | More by flyingpig

Hanglow

United Kingdom (Scotland)

3/5  rDev -18.5%

01-16-2013 21:56:57 | More by Hanglow

BILF

Israel

4/5  rDev +8.7%

01-14-2013 19:24:45 | More by BILF

BlackHaddock

United Kingdom (England)

3.98/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

At home: 500ml bottle, best before 28 Aug 2013, poured into a UK pint sleeve on 26 sep 2012.

Lovely amber coloured body with a full, deep foam head, like an off-white snow blanket.

The nose is all about roasted and toasted malts: they indicate a rich, strong malty brew is below and they are not far wrong.

The taste as the aroma suggests is malty molasses with some butterscotch and caramel added into the mix: this isn't overly sweet though, so some hops must help to give it a balance and slight bitter finish.

The body feel isn't as rich or creamy as the nose would have you believe: this is robust brew more than a smooth one. A Winter Warmer sort of beer without the Smoking Jacket.

Serving type: bottle

09-26-2012 20:47:10 | More by BlackHaddock

smcolw

Massachusetts

3.93/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Modest head that leaves minimal lace. The color on the darker side of amber. Appears to be perfectly clear. 

Light smokiness to the heavily malted aroma. Black cherry in the background.   No notable hop nose. 

Mildly sweet with a good dose of nuttiness. The ending has a nice bitter hop bite. Full "round" body, but with enough spritz to bring it balance. There's a creaminess to the flavor I wasn't expecting.  It seems to be cross between a Scotch and a Brown Ale.

Serving type: bottle

09-04-2011 07:11:59 | More by smcolw

kojevergas

California

2.15/5  rDev -41.6%
look: 2 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 2

Cask into glass mug (I was as puzzled as you are) at the Bridge House pub, Belfast. Reviewed from notes.

A: Brown-amber colour; clear. Thick head of poor retention.

Sm: Delightful barley, very hoppy. Nutty.

T: Nutty. Otherwise rather bland. Very one note. It's easy to balance one note. Poorly built.

Mf: This real ale is horribly thin and watery. Too smooth.

Dr: Hides its ABV well, but I'd pass over this one, lads.

Serving type: cask

03-09-2011 02:10:04 | More by kojevergas

ivanwatling

United Kingdom (England)

4.18/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Dark with a rich, thick, creamy head. Head was very lively and fun to watch.

Smell: Very pronounced, malty, pleasant

Taste: Thick and malty, typical of a dark malt beer. Well balanced biterness creeps in after the initial taste on the pallete.

Mouthfeel: Pleasant aftertaste

Drinkability: Very more-ish, could happily drink this all night but would probably leave me comatose.

Serving type: cask

04-27-2010 10:09:42 | More by ivanwatling

BDTyre

British Columbia (Canada)

4/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

My first beer from Cairngorm, and a fairly good one.

Ruby-mahogany with a head that forms a thick, but small head. Rich butterscotch smell with a little bit of demerara sugar added to it.

Rich, buttery taste and hints of coffee and brown sugar. A bit of smoke in there. Very little to no presence of hops on the tongue.

Nice and creamy, not spectacular but quite pleasant. A session beer, even at 5.1%.

Serving type: cask

02-10-2010 22:33:18 | More by BDTyre

StJamesGate

New York

3.48/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours deep red with white head, no lacing. Nose is winey and raisin. Taste is Christmas pudding - molasses and dark fruit - up front with musty, leafy hops cutting at the end. Dry, bitter finish. Medium feel.

Drinks alot darker than it looks. A lot going on, but no need for a second bottle.

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2009 18:59:45 | More by StJamesGate

kmacphail

United Kingdom (Scotland)

3.7/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

This unique beer pours a dark mahoganny colour with an off white head that settled into a very thin film.

The nose was dominated by roasted malts and caramel with a hint of figs thrown in. A burnt malty taste with a hint of fruit and hops then swirled nicely around the taste buds with a medium-thick body feel. A caramel aftertaste then followed.

There was also a variety of bitter-sweet spices throughout the duration of the drink. Although this was nice the first time, I found this beer too rich and complex in flavours to be very drinkable. I declined the offer of a second in favour of something less filling. Worth a try, but in my opinion, not a session ale.

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2007 21:28:09 | More by kmacphail

Mark

California

4/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks again to the Lord Moon of The Mall pub for having so many guest ales during the week. This was also the strongest beer I had on cask this past trip (5.1) It's a deep copper beer with a well formed thin head, bubby lace that is spotty adorns the glass. Fresh fruity aroma with grainy malt. Smooth finish, malt dominated but noticible fruity hops as well. Alcohol is way more evident in this beer compared to other cask offerings. Medium bodied beer that I found most appropriate for winter time.

Serving type: cask

01-15-2007 22:17:45 | More by Mark

Reidrover

Oregon

4.1/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

500ml bottle. Dark cesnut brown, clear,very nice sized light tan, thick bubbly head. In the aroma rich dark malts dominate, with fruit and hints of smoke, very enjoyable. The taste is very malty indeed, biter yet with rich fruitiness a chocolaty finish and a wee touch of drying alcohol.I like this. A goods mouthfeel. Pretty thick, smooth and good. I drank this on the warm side and it was a great drinkable ale.

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2006 16:57:05 | More by Reidrover

seanyfo

United Kingdom (Scotland)

4.22/5  rDev +14.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On cask at a local bar

A - Pours with a ruby red body with a , toffee caramel thick 2 finger head.

S- lots of roasted malts, toffee, grains and a very noticeable nutty quality

T- Very creamy and moreish, lots of maltiness, toffee again, a hazelnut quality lingers on the tongue well after the swallow. A nice alcoholic kick on the finish aswell. I found this hard to believe it was 5.1abv, felt more like a 6.5-7% due to the warm alcoholic feel.

M - Medium carbonation, creamy and thick, very moreish.

D - I would have to say this is my favourite cask ale to date, was a super unexpected surprise for me. Im not a lover of scottish ale but this has made me want to persue more examples of the style more. This was a lovely winter warmer beer.

Serving type: cask

11-05-2006 12:25:17 | More by seanyfo

arizcards

Arizona

3.78/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Spent time in Aviemore the last week of April and had to try a few of the local beers.

This brew poured a copper color, with a white head which left a decent lacing. Nose was malty and not much else. The caramel malts predominated the taste. Initially the taste had a nutty finish. Mouthfeel was crisp and clean with a light to medium body. Overall drinkability was good. The abv makes this a sessionable beer and the overall feel to it was quite refreshing.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2006 23:17:19 | More by arizcards

cypressbob

United Kingdom (Northern Ireland)

3.88/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On cask at a local bar

Pours with a dark amber body, creamy caramel head.

Smell, roasted malt, some sweetness

Taste, creamy mouthfeel, caramel and toffee, some hot bitterness on the finish

An interesting and full flavoured ale, i'd definatly have this again if i ever found it

Serving type: cask

08-16-2005 18:03:21 | More by cypressbob

GreenCard

Oregon

2.42/5  rDev -34.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

Appearance: deep amber, great clarity, a medium layer of off-white foam flattens to a sudsy film within 60 seconds

Aroma: inviting semi-sweet almondy/candy-like aroma, caramelly malts, ethereal hops, toffee

Flavor: less sweet than expected from the aroma, quite a toasty malt profile with a touch of roast, the woody hop flavor comes in along-side a pert bitterness, hop flavor is a bit "pukey", finishes quite dry with a tangy and bitterish aftertaste with a slight meatiness

Mouthfeel: medium body with light carbonation, a bit astringent

Overall Impression: This is purportedly one of their most popular beers. I can see why... it appeals to the widest range of palates (i.e.- not very complex). Not every beer needs to be complex or interesting, but that's usually something that I look for in a beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-24-2004 19:16:36 | More by GreenCard