Ever since I created my fictional character, Roland Axam, I've had a great love for Scotland and its people (hard to believe that Roland is almost 40 years old!). And while I do have some Scott's blood in me, it's so little that it's hardly worth mentioning, though I do feel a close connection to this miniscule part of me.
I've been to Scotland a couple of times and I've been hooked on Scottish author Ian Rankin's books for nearly two decades. It was Rankin who got me into Scotch whisky and he even gave me a personal recommendation for what is one of my favourite malts.
Scotland even makes some pretty outstanding beer, and whenever I see a new label in my friendly neighbourhood LCBO, I feel obliged to become familiar with it.
Last weekend, I picked up two Scottish ales and an English one, too, and over the next few weeks I'll share my thoughts on all of them. But for this week, I thought I'd try the bottle that seemed the fanciest of them all, one that combines both beer and whisky.
This heavy-hitting dark ale, Ola Dubh (pronounced ola-doo), was matured in 12-year-old Highland Park whisky casks. They also produce this award-winning ale from barrels that are 16 and 18 years old but I didn't see any of those on the store shelves, though I did find a 21-year reserve listed on the LCBO site that isn't listed on the tag that hung from the neck of my bottles.
Let's look at this version.
Harviestoun Brewery
Alva, Scotland
Appearance: pours a deep walnut brown, almost black (Ola Dubh, after all, is Gaelic for black oil), with little fizz and almost no head (hardly even some loose lace). Bubbles are miniscule, with nothing clinging to the sides of the glass. It had lost almost all of its fizz before I was finished my glass, though it retained all other characteristics.
Nose: intense flavours of whisky, dates, caramel, and dark-roasted coffee. There's a definite burnt sweetness about the bouquet.
In some ways (and thanks to DW for noticing), there are aromas that bring an aged (possibly over-aerated) port wine to mind. Once she mentioned it, I couldn't get those thoughts out of my head.
Good thing I love port.
Palate: after the initial smell and knowing the alcohol content, I expected a boozy punch in the face. Instead, I was warmly greeted with dark chocolate and coffee, with a follow-up of fruitcake and toffee. The finish is short but comforting, leaving a hint of whisky with chocolate.
And though I said that the fizz was gone before I finished my glass, it was by no means flat. There was still plenty of luster and life in the glass.
Overall impression: I have to admit that I've had Highland Park 12-year-old whisky before and have always found it too balanced and smooth, compared to my usual Islay malt preferences. But because it's coming off from the barrels in ale form, that smoothness makes this dark ale just right. It's bold yet easy to drink.
I loved it.
When I was still writing my novel, Songsaengnim: A Korea Diary, I'd often sit in a pub with my laptop, sipping both a stout and nursing a whisky. They seemed to make a perfect marriage of liquids that kept my creative juices flowing. Ola Dubh does just as nicely in one glass. I've returned to fiction writing and kept a glass of this whisky-flavoured stout at my side.
Beer O'Clock rating: 🍺🍺🍺
I also loved how the bottle comes with so much information, not only on the front label but on the tag around its foil-wrapped neck. I saw the signatures of the master brewer, the master whisky maker, the bottle number and the date that the stout was bottled (February of 2022). The care that they put into the packaging is a direct reflection of the care that they put into the beer inside, and I'm going to keep my eye out for more beer from this excellent brewery.
Just one more thing to bring out my Scottish pride. And I'm sure Roland would want to enjoy this brewery, were he a real person.
Cheers!
No comments:
Post a Comment