BrewDog Paradox Islay (Batch 001)

Formerly brewed at BrewDog
Style: Imperial Stout
Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire, Scotland

Bottle, Batch 006. Pours dark black with a thin brown head. Smells of toffee and smoke. Tastes of smoke, peat, burned molasses... and many other ones that keep appearing as it warms. Very smooth, not thick at all. Excellent, easily one of the best, most complex stouts I’ve had.

Bottle : Batch 001 Best Before 03/03/10 Pours a dark brown with orange hue and virtually no head. Complex nose, peaty at first, than biscuit, chocolate milk, seaweed. The attack is smooth, medium bodied, no carbonation at all, wich is not distracting in this brew, than grainy in the end. Long aftertaste with the sweet warming of the 10º alcohol bringing back the scotch flavors. This is a great night cap! Altough I think it’s not made for every palate. IMO it’s the absolute opposite of any big american Imp.Stout, nothing is big in this beer, everything is subtle, and it’s nice and good! I want more...

Bottle from plan b.Batch 006.Pitch black colour with small beige head.Aroma of whisky and tobaco a bit like wet cigars.Feels powerfull and nice.

3rd LCRBM. Raisin and peat (like Islay single malt whisky) in the aroma. Islay malt peat in the flavor. Medecinal. Band aids. Absolutely great beer ( I do like peaty single malts).

A Mes rate: 33cl bottle from Tom during the Weekend of Tarts. Dark red / brown colour with a tan head. Amazing peat whiskey nose that boarders on the o.t.t. Flavour is similar with glorious smoky old oak barrel notes and obvious peaty whiskey. Clear alcohol but in a lip smackingly good ’this could get me shitfaced’ type way. I love imperial stouts, I love good whiskey and I’m in luck, they go together really well here. Excellent stuff. Thanks again Tom. Very much looking forward to the next versions of this in the other barrels.

When I bought this I had terrible thoughts that this would be another Innis and Gunn type affair. Not so! Smooth, heavy whisky notes as you might expect, which somewhat mask the alcohol content - as does the body - it’s thinner than you’d expect. Flavourwise - reminded me of those rum and butter toffees you used to get years ago. Only downside is that at £3.20 a bottle, it’s not one for an evening session

cheers tom (magic_dave6) for allowing me to join you on the paradox vertical tasting was incredible! the islay poured dark black like old engine oil, and retained its head a bit better then the other two. The nose is overwhelmingly similar to the islay whiskey. petey, smokey lots of earthy aromas. still smells sweet and fruity but mostly earth. tastes a million times more intense then the aroma. smoked bacon, or ham, and islay whiskey. almost put me on the floor. After a few ounces, you can really define the other notes that are in the other editions. its really complex. not my favorite of the 3, but quite good. RErate CASK CONDITION at blackies- pours nearly opaque with a beautiful foamy (sea foam) beige head. smells strongly of whiskey, peat smoke, and leather shoes. tastes peat smoke and lite citrus backing it up. really smokey in a intense yet restrained manner not overwhelming. coffee and incredible length. still a 4.

Pours a thinner near black with fast disapating small bubbled head. Lots of scotch aroma, some smokey peat, dark fruits, and sweet malt, also alcohol. Very scotch forward, peaty, some creamy chocolate, lots of roast. huge dark chocolate/barrel finish. Off dry but still kinda sugary in a distracting way. Medium bodied, fuller mouthful, very subtle fizzy carbonation.