BrewDog Paradox Isle of Arran
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(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
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BrewDog is craft brewery in the U.K. that has been challenging the beer world’s status quo since its inception in 2007. Still young and evolving, Scotland’s largest independent brewer proudly creates “Beer for Punks” — bold new creations and modern takes on classic styles.
Paradox is an Imperial Stout aged for six months in whisky barrels. Ah, but which whisky barrels? The barrels come from distilleries across Scotland and have included brands such as Macallan and Speyside that may be familiar to U.S. palates. Each batch of Paradox is imbued with unique characteristics, thanks to the variety of barrels available.
I decided to have Paradox Isle of Arran as my first taste of BrewDog. The distillery ages its malt in barrels that once held sherry, so I’m expecting a touch of sweetness. Though Isle of Arran whisky can be found in parts of the U.S., I’ve never tasted Arran Whisky. That means I’ll be able to enjoy two new experiences at once.
Enough about the brewery and the mechanics of aging beer — I’m ready to taste it!
Paradox pours a vibrant, shimmering dark brown, splashing into a snifter but creating very little head. Only a thin, tan crema appears. I understand that many high Alcohol By Volume brews create little foam, so now’s a good time to report that Paradox is 10% ABV.
The aroma is much more subtle than I would have guessed for such a strong stout. Chocolatey, lightly smokey, with a hint of tobacco leaf. There’s booze in the nose, no doubt, but the rich malt was my first impression. Nothing accosts my nose; the aroma needs to be coaxed out, smelling smooth, silky, and relaxed.
Here goes the first sip.
The beer seems to tingle the front tip and edges of my tongue with a sweet chocolatey malt. What washes across my tongue is silky and fairly thin, with notes of vanilla and oak. Much like the aroma, the taste is relaxed and subtle; nonetheless, it manages a mellow, pleasant char in the finish that brings out both the vanilla and the warming booze.
As I continue to drink, that roasted malt comes through more clearly. However, I’m not detecting a few of the notes that the label suggests I’ll find. It describes the beer as:
The rich vanilla sweetness, hints of cinnamon and balancing aromatic fruit and ginger flavors of the Arran Malt are all completely infused deep into the texture of our smooth robust Imperial Stout. Profound new depths emerge with each pass and sip, the pallet is as polished and classic as a Robbie Burns masterpiece, this is Scotland in a glass.
(Robert Burns is the “National Poet of Scotland” and the namesake for one of Arran’s single malt creations. Those of us in the United States may be more familiar with Robert Burns’ work than we realize — we stumble through his words every New Year’s Eve when we sing Auld Lang Syne.)
Hands down, this is a delicious and thoroughly enjoyable Imperial Stout. A Scottish brewery taking advantage of Scotch Whisky barrels is a beautiful thing — and it creates a complex and compelling beer.
BrewDog, I’ll be seeing more of you this year!
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