Isle of Skye Brewing Company in Uig, Scotland

The Black Cuillin Dark Scottish Ale from Isle of Skye Brewing Company has the distinction of being the first scottish style ale I have ever tried from Scotland–although this one certainly had some interesting twists. It is brewed using heather honey and rolled oats, and is believed to be the only non-stout brewed using rolled roast oatmeal. For the extra sugar provided by honey and oatmeal, it’s surprising that this beer is 4.5%, low for many of the scottish ales we are used to. Although it wasn’t a standout beer, it was an interesting adventure.

I’ve been a fan of scottish ales pretty much since I graduated from Miller High Life. It started with the Back Country Scottish Ale from Lewis and Clark Brewing Company and evolved to my current favorite, the Tartanic Scottish Ale from Blackfoot River Brewing Company. Although the Black Cuillin was different from any I’ve ever had, it was tasty all the same. At first the dull brown liquid had a very misleading smell of booze; however, upon further inspection, it turned into a roasty sweet aroma with fruity hints, primarily like prune oil. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when it hit the palate. Its expansive flavor profile began with sweet black cherry and prune flowing into a wood oak finish with a mild sweet aftertaste.

There is no doubt, this beer is as adventurous a scottish as there is out there, or at least that I’ve ever had. That being said, I’m not sure I would buy it again, at least not soon. Although the Black Cuillin was quite an experience, it was almost a little too much on the sweet side and could use a bit more hops or alcohol to balance it out. If you haven’t had it before however, it is worth the purchase if for no other reason than “you haven’t had it.”