Paradox Speyside - BrewDog Ltd, Fraserburgh

I've always wanted to try a good bottle of Speyside. I'm not quite sure why, because I'm not a Whiskey drinker... and I spell Whiskey with an E. I do enjoy a good barrel aged Stout every now and again, so when I saw this bottle of BrewDog Paradox Speyside I figured this might be something I'd like try. The few BrewDog beers I've had thus far haven't really been all that great. I'm hoping their limited release beers are brewed with a bit more care. Aging this beer in a 16 year old Glen Moray barrel is a good start.

The Paradox Speyside pours just as dark as you'd expect. It's pitch black and has a nice tan colored head. The aroma coming off of this beer is absolutely amazing. It smells like a pot of molasses that has been reduced over a fire, it's a little charred, a little caramelized and a little smoky.

The flavor of the Paradox Speyside is quite similar to the aroma. There's a bit more peat bitterness, but not quite charred, flavor and a good deal of vanilla oak barrel. The flavor lacks the big molasses of the aroma, which is a shame, but it's still quite tasty. There's nice balance of Whiskey and Stout in this Paradox. It's a touch more Whiskey than I'd prefer but it's the best tasting Whiskey aged Stout I've had thus far, so I think I'll live...

If you're looking for a great barrel aged Stout then it's worth tracking down a bottle of Paradox Speyside. This beer didn't top my list of Stout, probably because I'm not a Whiskey drinker, but I really appreciated all of the complex flavors and aromas the Speyside imparted.