Review: Bushwakker's MacGregor's Wee Heavy Scotch Ale

It's always a good day when Dallas comes to town and brings goodies for everyone, he's the biggest beer geek out of everyone I know, and always wants to share his love of beer with everyone he meets. This time around, he brought in Bushwakker Brewpub's MacGregor's Wee Heavy Scotch Ale, a very sought after rarity that's only made once every few years. I find that Wee Heavy Scotch Ales in Canada can either be hit or miss, lots are just watery caramel amber ales unfortunately, but some.. really make you want to savour them.

Appearance: MacGregor's Wee Heavy comes in a 650ml bottle at 7.0%, pours a thick amber-dark nutty brown, a bit of a tan head that settles quickly and stays that way for the duration of the drinking-of-the-beer.

Aroma: Once you first get a sniff of this, this isn't your macro Wee Heavy, it's a really sweet, smokey, aromatic Wee Heavy, notes of rich fruitiness, some caramel and a really smoky peat in there. Incredibly smokey, akin to a Rogue Chipotle, but doesn't burn the nostrils, thankfully!

Taste: The smokiness of the peat comes out first and foremost, it's quite a smokey and slightly spicey notes in there makes it quite an interesting Wee Heavy Scotch Ale. Backing the smokiness is a touch of sweet caramel and a very (homemade) bready yeastiness. Not much to describe here but if you like a smokey scotch ale, you'd like this. Not overly scotchy ale as I'd expect but the caramel sweetness notes are there, but smoke takes over in this round!

Overall Thoughts: I was trying to think of what beer this reminded me of.. then I remembered.. Half Pints' Smoketoberfest!, it was a very smokey and somewhat sweet caramelly dark ale itself, so if that's your kind of thing.. there ya go! Very much a slow sipping beer that gets a bit spicier and sweeter as you continue to drink it, easily one of Bushwakker's best.

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