BrewDog Paradox Macallan (Batch 011)

Bottled. Burgundy coloured. Light brown head. Prunes, sweetness and alcohol in the aroma. Flavour of alcohol, prunes, sweetness, vanilla, wood. Medium to fulll bodied. sweet and alcholholdense spicy end.

33 cL bottle. Pours clear and dark amber with a minimal off-white head. Mild smoked and dark fruity aroma. Sweet, roasted and alchol to whiskey like aroma. Smooth and vague vanilla note. Lingering fruity, subdued sweet and vanilla fruity finish.

Original review date 6/22/2008... Batch 11 with a BBD 3/3/2011. The Portsmouth snifter is the vessel of choice for this one. As suggested by the BrewDog dudes, served at room temperature. This looks like a very solid impy. Jet-espresso-black that’s very opaque. There’s a very solid full finger of ginger-colored head - it leaves a fair amount of lacing. Maybe the head retention could be a little better...but it could be much worse. I’ve seen BrewDog stuff that’s a little uneven in carbonation and head retention, but this is much better. I was expected a huge Scotch or Sherry bomb based on previous experience but this is very mellow - the oak aging is very subtle and there’s not that vanilla excess. This has the roasted coffee malt with a little bittersweet chocolate. There’s also a pretty decent hoppiness to it - a little grass but maybe more pine. Not a whole lot of booze but we know it’s there - maybe just a little Macallan nose with a wisp of Sherry. Sheeeit, this is quite soothing. Creamy on the palate with copious chocolate malt - maybe a little patent but very lean on harsh tannins. Smooth as all get-up - I’d almost enjoy a little more booziness but this tastes more like a traditional Imperial Stout. BrewDog has really shed the "gimmick" nuance with this one, because it stands on its own with a much more subtle notion of the Macallan cask. It gets a little bit lighter with warmth and the Macallan notes start emerging but they still remain nicely mellow. Warmth on the palate from front to back is very calm - its weight gets lighter as the Scotch notes emerge with warmth. Earlier it has a creamy texture that is extremely inviting; this relaxes after a while but it is far from clammy. Overall this is an inviting package that may temper and relax a bit as it warms but it’s still a very good offering that is more traditional than other Paradox series offerings I’ve sampled. Extremely well-constructed. Another one that begs for a solid stogie.

bottle courtesy of me, thanks me! served at room temp, even though that room temp was damn near around 70. warm grain aroma, some ruby port. jet black like the others, modest tan head. this is a fine imperial stout, added in complexity by the aging, though to me these highland malt casks do not offer as much depth. in this case the macallan cask only allows the sherry notes to come through the rich imperial stout. i think the smoky islay casks create more depth of flavor, though this beer is much more sessionable and easy to drink, though at 12 bucks a bottle i think i’d rather be forced to sip and savor it slowly.

One of their better paradox stouts. Dark brown pour, thin head. Chocolate malte, caramel, roasted nuts, dark fruit, plum, vanilla, oak, and bourbon. The barrel aging isnt to stron in this, maybe thats why I like it more. Complex, good Imp stout.

Bottle. Lots of whiskey in the aroma, and some slight roastiness. Black body, no head. Flavor is like a chocolate confection, filled with liquor. Not overpowering. Tasty and well-balanced. Gentle finish.

Thanks to Cheeseman, I think. Flavor is full of whiskey, but it really is a little more subdued than I thought it would be, especially comparing to others in this series.

Medium brown pour with off white head and lace. Burnt coffee, medium chocolate, and abv on the nose. Abv, chocoffee with a very good finishing bitter. Medium bodied with good carbonation. A very nice beer.