Ola Dubh 12 Year Old
Ola Dubh means 'black oil' in Gaelic. A high-gravity version of the brewery's stout Old Engine Oil, brewed with roast barley, pinhead oats and lager malt, rests for around six months in casks that previously held Highland Park 12 Year Old, a single malt whisky from Orkney. The beer pours black and oily. Smoky-sweet malt, roasted peat, coffee beans and chocolate shape the taste, with leather and a savoury edge in the aroma. The whisky adds subtle smoke rather than heat, and the finish is bittersweet and firmly bitter.
Tasting Notes
AI-generated sensory profile for Ola Dubh 12 Year Old
Slightly warmer than you might expect. 10–13°C lets the roasted malt, chocolate and coffee notes open up fully.
The classic — versatile, comfortable to hold and keeps the beer cool. No frills, no distractions: just the beer.
Can be cellared 2–5 years. Develops dark fruit, leather and port-like complexity with age.
More from Harviestoun Brewery
About Imperial Stout
Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives
What is a Imperial Stout?
Stouts are dark ales with roasted barley character, 4–8% ABV and IBU 25–45. Expect coffee, dark chocolate and toast flavors with a creamy body and dry finish.
Finding a similar Imperial Stout
hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same roasted, smoky, bitter character as Ola Dubh 12 Year Old will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.
FEATURED IN