BrewDog Paradox Longrow (Batch 018)

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

Pretty much agree with Oakes below, but since I tired the Longrow whisky before the beer, I don’t see the phenolics, peatiness or the roughness as necessarily a bad thing as that is how the whisky is. Decent stuff that hits you on the side of the head. Not for amateurs should read the bottle.

Muddy reddish brown. Major band-aid phenols infecting the nose, with just a hint of chocolate showing through. Peat and chocolate on the palate with some light phenol. Quite rough. Too many flaws to like this too much; there are better Paradoxes.

Bottle shared by Daknole. Coppery brown. Band aid and peat aromas. Smokey and dry. Band aid flavors continue. Not my favorite BD but really, can’t complain.

Bottle from Craig Garvie...thanks my Scottish friend!! Almost black with a good tan head. Aroma is peat, caramel, smoke and band aids. Flavor is much the same. The peat and band aids share similar characteristics...so I was able to get through the bandaids on this beer better than most. I love the Brewdog beers!

Bottle 33cl. @ home.
[ Trade by cgarvieuk ]. Clear medium to dark black brown color with a average to large, frothy, good lacing, mostly lasting, off-white to beige head. Aroma is moderate to heavy malty, roasted, caramel, chocolate, saltwater, peat - smoke, wood, medicine notes. Flavor is moderate to heavy sweet and heavy bitter with a long duration. Body is medium, texture is oily, carbonation is soft. [20090206]

Thank you Craig cgarvieuk for this bottle marked best before 0912/10. Black with a 1/2 finger creamy light tan head, fair retention. Unmistakable scotch whiskey in the nose, though it seems to have more oak than some, and a little brown sugar sweetness and salted meat. If I dig deep enough I can get some chocolate and roasted malts--nothing too fancy, but the barrel is where it’s at. Flavor has more of a salty character and a good amount of vanilla. Dry woody finish with roasty bitterness peaking around a 3-4, with some warming alcohol in the belly and throat. Light prickly carbonation with a full body. My only complaint with this is the same as the last Paradox--the base beer is mediocre. But the barrels are quite tasty--they don’t seem as heavy as they do with most bourbon barrel impys.

Bottle from the brewery, at home with tashi, 27th Feb 2009. Standard Paradox appearance. Aroma of sea spray and Islay peat hints. In the mouth, the whisky flavours are wonderfully integrated, the salt and woodiness taking centre stage and letting the base beer just slip past you into the night. Smooth and delectable.

Bottle many thanks to mesandsim had at home after a total bastard of a 16hr shift. Alround rating: Whisky is key, big up front and in your face, roasty malts, gariny alcohol character, sweet vanilla caramelyness. Theres to much whisky character in here and not the type of whisky character i care for.