BrewDog Paradox Isle Of Arran (15%)
BrewDog

 

 

 

 

From a 330 ml bottle (best before March 3, 2023) into a snifter.

A-The beer has virtually no head; just a film of tan foam and an alcoholic sheen that leaves legs on the glass. The color is not as dark as some and there is some light that gets through the deep amber liquid.

S-The aroma is an intriguing mix of dark fruit like prunes and raisins, along with lots of sweet boozy flavors like molasses, brown sugar, caramel, and vanilla. The alcohol aroma is obvious, but integrated into the beer and the scotch whisky smell gives a bit of oak and smoke.

T-The taste is similar to the smell with sweetness and alcohol dominating my palate. Dark, dried fruits, molasses, burnt caramel, scotch whisky, vanilla, and a bit of soy flavor all mingle together. As the beer warms I taste more and more spices and alcohol burn.

M-The feel is medium in body with a slick, coating feeling on the finish. Carbonation is pretty mild.

O-This is an interesting beer. I am surprised by the lack of roast and chocolate flavors here, but the sweet fruitiness seems to work pretty well with the lightly peated scotch whiskey notes. It sips well but the alcohol warmth and coating, slick feeling remind that you are drinking a big beer.

 

 

 

 

 

Review from notes

Pours a dark oily black with an off white head. The aroma is full of malt whiskey, char and vanilla. You can smell the alcohol. The taste is well balanced between big malts, charred barrel, bourbon, vanilla and charcoal. Dark fruits poke through a bit as well. Drinks like a sipper, fills you up like a supper

 

 

 

Pours a very dark, creamy beer, with very little foam that disappears almost instantly. Smells of cocoa and dark chocolate. Sweet taste of chocolate and a slight hint of alcohol.

 

 

A little bit thin, but the base gives just enough structure to the massive Scotch notes that pour through this. Burns your eyes a bit when breathing into a snifter, but I really loved how the alcohol dominated without being out of control. Could enjoy a bigger pour of this for a long time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pours oil black with a very small beige head, reduced to a tiny sticky lace.
Strong smell of caramel, dry dark fruit, vanilla and dark spices. Sweet and boozy, plus a low soy sauce from the malts.
Sweet molasses and dark chocolate in the front, some juicy figs and dates in the back, raisin, low berries. Dark roasted malts, but very faintly reminding of coffee (which i like). A spicy feel later on, prickly, with pepper and ginger, but also some dark spices, with cinnamon, licorice. Vanilla and oak obviously from the maturing, perfect. American hops in the finish not totally overpowered by the roast or the alcohol, so the finish is a bit dry, mildly bitter, nice and sweet (not syrupy or disturbing).
Mouthfeel is smooth with just enough carbonation to keep the spicy feel out there. Booze gets a bit strong as it warms, with a clear nice malty whisky taste. Aftertaste of sweet caramel, a bit hoppy, and faint charcoal.
Awesome beer, can't find a single bad thing to say about it. Maybe a bit too alcoholic towards the finish, but i personally like that, if it's rich and tasty too.

 

 

 

Bottled
pours a jet black body with good tan head
the whiskey is good and is there in the aroma and flavour balanced against brown sugar, treacle and coffee

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pours black with a thin, dark head. Smell is molasses, brown sugar and alcohol. The taste is largely chocolate, with a healthy helping of boozy flavor. The feel is surprisingly light with light carbonation. Overall this is excellent, sweet without being cloying, boozy without being too much, and it all holds together very well.