Transistor is a blended Scotch whisky created in collaboration with independent bottler Compass Box, marrying malt and grain, bottled at 43% ABV. Light amber with sweet creamy notes giving way to tropical fruits.
It is designed to pair with Punk IPA, Brewdog’s first and flagship brew. The implausible rebadging of a quintessential British Empire classic ale reimagined with the ironic twist of new world hops, that set the new standard, kickstarted Brewdog and fuelled the global craft beer revolution.
A delightful blend, light and playful, sweet for summer.
Roadtested in the Doghouse, Glasgow
Brewdog’s central servery in Glasgow, a custom bar with grill as hipster and happening as its more traditional-pub cousin in Glasgow’s West End across from Kelvingrove Art Gallery.
It features post-industrial chic, glass and distressed wood, grill dining and beer. It’s a quality re-purposing of imposing Victorian stone architecture for the 21st century plate-glass urban achiever crew.
I tasted the Brewdog Boilermaker Series to a great ‘old guy’ soundtrack of Nick Drake, the Stones, Bob Dylan and Neil Young.
The dram
Whisky
Blended Scotch Whisky
Bottler
Compass Box
Cask
1st fill American and French Oak
Country
Scotland
Region
–
Series
Boilermaker
Chill filtered
No
Age
NAS
Colouring
No
Distillery
–
Bottled
2019
ABV
43%
Flavour profile
Sweet – 3; Dry – 2; Peat / Smoke – 0; Body – 0; Complexity – 2.
Nose: Sweet oak, honey hints of citrus-infused vanilla.
Palate: Honied oak balancing the tannin, peppered citrus notes revealing hidden spice in the slightly creamy swirl.
Finish: Short vanilla caramel with a dry malty end.
This sweet creamy dram opens up with time in the glass so as a hauf’n’hauf this was my favourite of the Brewdog Boilermaker Series, a whisky to spend some relaxed time with.
Slàinte Mhath
2019
2019 was without doubt an interesting year.
In Britain Boris Johnson rode the popular wave of disgust with politicians over their failure to get Brexit done to a landslide election victory, the US-China Trade War rumbled on, tensions flared in the Persian Gulf, fire devastated Notre Dame in Paris, the American illegal migration crisis began to grow, Emperor Narahito acceded to the Chrysanthemum throne in Japan, and Covid escaped into the wild.
On a more personal note, Avengers Endgame sadly brought the soundtrack of the Marvel Universe to a reverse big bang, after bursting into life to the classic guitar riff of AC/DC’s Back In Black in the opening scenes of Iron Man, through the could-not-be-more-appropriate Immigrant Song in Thor Ragnarok, to the quiet desperation of Traffic’s Dear Mr Fantasy in Endgame.
