BrewDog Paradox Macallan (Batch 011)

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

Pours dark brown, black in the glass, with a medium tan head, some lacing. Smells strongly of scotch, oak and alcohol, with some peat, coffee, and pear undertones. Medium-thick velvety body. In the taste, imperial stout characteristics come through more strongly, complimented by scotch notes. There’s big malt flavors up front; molasses, dark chocolate, plum, and coffee, with some oak. Has a slightly dry, mineral edge, and a medium bitter finish. Nicely balanced. A wonderful imperial stout.

Served at room temp as per bottle. Pours a thinner (for an IS) fairly dark brown, almost light enough to see-thru, with a minimal fizzy beige froth that dissipates quickly. Strong barrel aroma, woody chocolate, smokey peat, smells dry, quite malty, the aroma changes into something much more English, maybe a touch of diacetyl, toasty, a bit of fruit or maybe thats the sherry. First taste is not very Imperial Stoutish, definitely more of a BA Scottish Ale. Flavors of peated malt, lightly burnt malts, lots of toasted malts, some buttery diacetyl, some chocolate, every so lightly grassy. A bit sugary tasting while being dry with a decent amount of bitterness. The sherry cask really makes itself apparent in the aftertaste. Medium body, smooth and flat, oily. The finish and aftertaste really make this beer, otherwise it would be a complete disappointment. Definitely a sipper... this is one beer where its okay to breath lots and release the alcohol.

Bottle thanks to bu11zeye. Smell is vanilla, smoke, dried fruit, whiskey. Pretty decent. Look is dark brown and clear with not very much head. Taste is malts, smoke, dried fruits, whiskey, malts, pretty good flavor.

Bottle, black pour. Great aroma here. Thick with chocolate, molasses, scotch, sherry. Flavor is rich and sweet. Vanilla, chocolate, scotch and toasted wood. One of my favorite brewdogs to date.

Bottle. Pours black with an average, frothy, light brown head, somewhat lasting with good lacing. Aroma is heavy malt -molasses, chocolate, toasted grain-, average hops -perfume-, heavy yeast -horse blanket, leather- with notes of prunes, wood, and tar. Full bodied, creamy texture, average carbonation, and a bitter finish. Long duration, moderate sweetness and bitterness, light acidity.

(Bottle, Batch 011, BB 12/12/09) Pours a dark brown body with a small off-white head. Aroma of toasted bread, nuts, scotch, barrel, vanilla, and oatmeal. Flavor of roasted malt, scotch, barrel, and light chocolate with a dry finish.

Bottled. This stuff is pretty nice. Some of these Paradox beers go way too deep with the scotch, but this one balances quite well, even picking up some of the sherry characteristics as well. Great cherry, oak, licorice, burnt marshmallows in the aroma. Very deep and enticing and never once showing any alcohol burn. In the mouth this has a full, gooey flavor, again burnt marshmallows, cinnamon, faint oxidation, wood. Almost a touch of hop bitterness in the finish. Excellent stuff here. As much as I hate to admit it, the Paradox series continues to impress.

12 oz bottle. Pours quite black with hints of amber only at the farthest extremities, and a thin khaki head. The aroma is oaky with a light, shall we say playful, fruitiness and a robust toffee and coffee conglomeration. The flavor is very straightforward oak with vanilla and cherry nuances. Under that is a pretty satisfying stout, with strong coffee and some bitter chocolate and caramel. The finish is a little bit hoppy, too, with a planty, herbal bitterness that picks up as the tannic bitterness of the oak fades. The aftertaste is an odd mixture of coffee and sherry. I gotta say, I enjoy this one.