BrewDog Paradox Islay (Batch 009)

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

Wow, the nose is much like the ink from those old gestetner copiers in the 60’s, (read nearly hallucinogenic) scotchy, peaty and smokey too. Black, very small tan head. Taste is a bite of smoked peat, cured meat and dusty, woody malt. Full bodied, complex, gorgeously smooth texture. Wild!! Thank You Radek Kliber!

bottle. black pour with thin head. amazing smokey aroma with whisky and meat. big and meaty. meat, smoke, whisky, meat, smoke, whisky, meat, smoke, whisky. rich chocolate hiding deep down in there. unique.

Wow, tons of smoke and iodine in this one. Amazing. I love the flavors and aroma of this beer. Yes, there are flaws. The palate is thin and the appearance is not too appealing. That aside, the smoky bacon and meats in the aroma and taste are anything but subtle. Everything else about this is brash and bold. Smoky, meaty, some alcohol presence, and even a little chocolate. Fantastic beer.

The Ardbbeg one, my favourite scotch so yes I’m biased. Dark brown and murky. Only a little head. Big iodine, peat, chocolate nose with smoke. Massive chocolate palate with iodine and big fat smoke. So Ardbeggy, but with chocolate. Rich and unbalanced, but what are you gonna do?

Thank you Radek!! Color of black coffee, hardly a head. Some tan cloudy wisp like milky way on top. Intense nose is peat to the max. Also astringent. Smells like a printing press in a good way. Smoke coming off of newly burnt wood. Smooth mouthfeel. Deep rich smoke without tasting in the least bit burnt, an achievement. Gorgeous, peaty overtones throughout, resting on top of deep rich malts. Silky smooth body. Any sweetness is tamed by the loving smoke. More good stuff from a really fun brewery.

Dark ruby brown colored beer. Wispy, fully diminishing white foam. Nose dominated by Islay character. It’s super smoky, with hints of iodine and a very light hint of malt character. Flavor is fairly complex, but a bit out of balance. Super salty, with hints of peat, peanut butter, iodine and scotch. A fairly intense, harsh beer.

This sure didn’t light my world on fire. Pours fairly dark with a small head. The aroma is overly smoky with a bit of booze. Medium / light body that is slick and nice with gentle carbonation. The taste was not to my liking at all. There was charcoal, bacon, burnt wood and other various smoky things that assaulted me. The underlying malt seemed like it would have been nice and smooth, but the over the top smoke kill anything redeeming for me.

Bottle 330 ml
Appearance: dark brown with rocky , lighter crown , fizzy ornamental work on glass. 3+.
Nose: Scotch , medicinal, raisin , freshly chopped spruce , smoky with pit like follow up..
Flavor/Palate : Wow. Unexpected size . Big , bold overpowering ale. Dark, chalky, tart, peat, smoky character. Think of potatoes roasted in pit smoked in beech wood. Truly unique. Love or hate but surely this one got plenty of character.