BrewDog Paradox Isle of Arran (Batch 016)

Brewed by BrewDog
Style: Imperial Stout
Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire, Scotland

33cl bottle from Systembolaget. Batch 16. best before 2014-09-26. It poured a pitch black colour with a big beige foamy head that settled down slowly in the glass. Aroma is coffee, malts with some smokey whisky notes as well, but the whisky is not as dominant as I had thought. The flavour is dry, bitter and laden with notes of alcohol and whisky. This is definately where the Isle of Arran comes through. Some roasted malts, coffee and traces of liqourice as well.

Bottled:
Pous black with a small, bubbly head. Aroma is tar, ash, iodine, peat and smoke. Flavour is ash, smoke and wood. Alcohol is well hidden. A beer for the lovers of Single Malt Whisky.

(Bottle) Pours black with a creamy, medium brown head. The aroma is of whisky and oak up front. Vanilla, tar, spicy wood, dry caramel malt, juicy dark bread, 99% chocolate, coffee roast and black tea with honey. Some dark fruit hints. The flavour is light to medium sweet, medium bitter and light acidic. Quite wooden with notable tannin-ish tartness. Heavily roasted malt. Tones of vanilla, honey, coffee, dark chocolate, tar, mild spices, dark berries and light resiny hops. The mouthfeel is clean and caramel round, almost soft. Light carbonated. The malt structure is enjoyable; too bad this beer is oaked. Some alcohol burn in the finish. Medium to full bodied.

11.2oz bottle pours deep mahogany with thin tan head. The aroma is full with rich dark fruity esters, fudge brownie, a thin layer of caramel and a bit of highly roasted malts in the background. Hanging above the top of those notes are whiskey booze and some heat to the snoot. The taste begins with ripe plums, blueberries and boysenberries then moving into a combination of soft chewy caramel, whiskey and some straight up booziness. Midway and into the finish it becomes very fudge chocolate rum cake and how. Yum! Tasting this beer is an adventure. Based on some previous Paradox variants I wasn’t expecting it to be this complex and bold in flavor. Well done.

Strongly vineous nose with chicory and grape must. Pours sump oil black with very little life evident. Strong whisky sweetness hits quickly as the flavour starts at the middle of the tongue, but it works its way back to a deep, complex, and nicely astringent (if such a thing can be) bitterness. Notes of dark roast coffee and sugar cane that’s been used to clean the oven at a triple michelin starred restaurant prevail. Possibly the best of the Pradox series to date.

Tap at blind tiger. Poured a deep brown mahogany with a thin beige head. tHe nose is caramel chocolate malts and a hint of alcohol. Nice and complex beer. It has smokey and peete notes. Some light carbonation and a thin to medium mouthful. Also has some bourbonny and caramel notes. Finish is sweet and dry

12oz bottle, courtesy of Mario (Brewed for Thought). Thanks! Pours a dark, clear, very oily reddish-cola color; very thin, big-bubbled head. Lovely, smokey and peat-laden aroma; highly peaty, oily, nicely and smoothly roasted. Heavily oily, roasted mouthfeel: lots of smoke, peat, roasted malts; so very oily; I can see comparisons to Alaskan Smoked Porter, but way oilier and peatier; quite smooth and pleasant overall. Medium finish: oily, roasted malts, and chocolate; lasting toastiness; nice.

Minimal head on very dark bron beer. Rich aroma; brown sugar, molasses, whisky and light sweet smoke. Combines together nicely on the tongue. Dangerously drinkable. Strong stout, molasses sweetness and alcohol. Not overpowering or overly aggressive. Nice balance of stout and whisky notes.