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Black Isle
 scrapes in
 decent
 good
 excellent
 sublime
Black Isle, Organic Blonde (Scotland) 
This bottled-conditioned beer has cloudy, pale gold colour with a white head that is quite persistent. The nose is both citrussy and floral, with a really perfumed edge to lime and quite exotic, lychee fruit notes. On the palate it has some real wheat beer bite, with a fine-grained palate of citrus fruit in a medium-bodied format. Perhaps it is the Hersbrucker and Hallertau hops, but this is very distinctive, with lots of grassy qualities on the finish. 5.0% ABV, 50cl, �1.89, Booth's, Luvians, Safeway Scotland, independents. |  |
Black Isle, Organic Porter (Scotland)
This is a live, bottle-condition Porter made from dark-roasted malt. Its colour is opaque black, with a low-foaming cream coloured head. On the nose it is quite subdued, with nutty and charry aromas with a hint of black plum. On the palate it is smooth though quite light-bodied with very gentle carbonation. There are dry, roasted barley flavours and hints of burnt toast and charcoal before a nicely bitter, coffeeish finish. Subtle charms and very grown-up. 4.5% ABV, 50cl, �1.89, Luvians, independents.  |  |
Black Isle, Organic Scotch Ale (Scotland)
This ale pours a brassy amber colour with a quickly disipating white head. The slight cloudiness settles to a steady amber. It has quite gently nettly aromas, in a fruity, herbal style without too much malt in evidence and a citrus character. On the palate it is medium bodied, with fruity, orangy, pleasant, but rather understated flavour. It doesn't really carry a lot of interest, but is quaffable and enjoyable in its way. 4.5% ABV, 50cl, �1.89, Luvians, independents. |  |
Black Isle, Organic Wheat Beer (Scotland)
The colour of this bottle-conditioned beer is a very pale yellow/gold that pours hazy, with a thin white head. On the nose it is very fresh in style, with a clean citrus aroma, some grassyness and a little background note of burning embers. On the palate it is quite light-bodied, with an extremely clean, pure flavour of orange and a light caramel. There's a little spice and a clean, quite long finish. This is a light and simple style of wheat beer, but is very appetising and moreish. 4.5% ABV, 50cl, �1.89, Luvians. |  |
Black Isle, Red Kite Organic Ale (Scotland)
This beer form Black Isle has a lovely ruby/amber colour and creamy head. Brewed with whole hop flowers it is quite aromatic, with hoppy, slightly vegetal notes of nettles, but also plenty of vivid fruit. There's a little background of coffee. On the palate there's an initial sweetness as this smooth-textured beer coats the tongue, with a tangy fruitiness, but then a big raft of bitter hop flavours takes a grip. A very nice beer indeed, that is crisp on the finish despite a developing malt character. 4.5% ABV, 50cl, �1.89, Booth's, Luvians, Safeway Scotland, independents. |  |
Black Isle, Yellowhammer Organic Bitter (Scotland)
Though it is not a live beer like most in Black Isle's range, this pours slightly cloudy with a little deposit in the bottom of the glass. It is a gold/pale brown colour with a thin white head. It has an intensely fruity, citrus nose with notes of grapefruit and lemon, but also a hint of lemongrass and spicy nuances. On the palate this is quite rich and smooth, with very sharp, crisp, citrussy flavours in a dry, slightly mineral style of beer. It perhaps lacks a little depth, and there's a faintly medicinal note that some may not like, but that adds to the complexity for me in an interesting beer. 4.0% ABV, 50cl, �1.89, Luvians, Peckhams, Beerritz. |  |
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