Ola Dubh 40 yr Tasting

I am really falling behind on posts these days. Blame it all on the great beer culture going on here in Atlanta.

A couple of weeks ago I received a cryptic email from Ale Sharpton "life changing beer" in the subject line. Obviously, I was hooked. Turned out to be a gathering of the insider's round table of Brick Store Pub beer-nuts, all in line for an early afternoon of 'Appreciata Maximus Excellenti". Dave & Mike were welcome recipients of 1 cask of Ola Dubh 40 year, 1 of 10 in the U.S., the only one in Georgia. This 'life changing' brew was all that and then some.

Ola Dubh (or ‘Black Oil’) is a collaborative effort between Harviestoun Brewery and Highland Park, Distiller. It is based on Harviestoun’s award-winning Old Engine Oil, with a whole lot more than a stylistic nod to the classic Imperial Porters (and Stouts) of the nineteenth century, this is a rich, dark, 8% a.b.v. beer, the first ale to be aged in malt whisky casks from a named distillery and, with traceable casks and numbered bottles, the rst with genuine provenance. Scotch Whiskey was aged in the casks for 40 years! Then turned over to Harviestoun for further aging of the "Oil".

The result. "life changing beer" Really.

I don't drink one type of alcohol, Scotch Whiskey. However, this amazingly balanced brew brings together my favorite beer style and my least favorite alcohol type in a marriage that would make any brewer smile. I just can't believe I was fortunate enough to get 3 glasses of some of the finest oil to come down the pike. In the words of Jed Clampet - Black Gold, Texas Tea. But worth much, much more.

By the showing of hard core faces at the gathering, the word was leaked out to an appreciative few to avoid anarchy. I got there an hour early just to be sure. Dave served up a few glasses to the eager masses and we were on our way. Being a regular also has some other advantages. Like getting a side by side tasting of ALL the versions of the elixir: 12yr, 16yr, 30 yr and the big 40 year!! My faves were the 16 and 40; 16 being really big on the Porter end, 40 being just freakin' big. The subtle flow of scotch-essence wrapped in an old style porter rolled around the mouth in a way that made you want to absorb it, not swallow it. I am simply not capable of accurately describing the amazing mouth feel, texture and lush notes that the barrel aging brought about. Scotch whiskey aged Porter? Why yes, I'll have another.

40 year Ola was not bottled. If you weren't there, you'll never go there. Sorry. All this has led me to add a stop into Harviestoun Brewery- Alva, Clackmannanshire, UK on my next european beer vacation.

All hail Belgium. I hail Scotland.