Most people consider Single Malt Scotch an after-dinner delight, but accompanying it with the right food can take the evening into the next level of ecstasy. However, most people would rather enjoy their classes of scotch solely than come up with a pathetic combination. Pair it wrong, and you’ll have ruined the night for everyone! But be glad you will not when we are done here.
The Cigar is the most common “scotch with food” pairing. But the general opinion is that scotch-food combinations are too strong, both in taste and in alcohol. But for Whisky fans who want to have their favorite all evening, finding new combinations to try out is a hobby.
The recipes below are not fixed to the specific bottlings. Instead, they stand for the house style of these distilleries. So don’t be afraid to try different recipes based on the pairing principles discussed below. Here are some foods you can take with your 12-year old single malt with.
1-Appetizer
Whiskey is well-liked in Japan. It is no wonder they have they don’t mind serving it with their local cuisine. And from their tradition, we’ve present whiskey and sushi; a perfect combo that you should try out. You can further spice it up by serving your Marcus Samuelsson’s Herring Sushi Roll alongside Black Mustard and serving it along with a 12 Years Old like the Glenlivet 12.
2-Red Meat
Red meats get along with Scotch. You surely want to try serving a Joachim Splichal’s Venison Medallions with Celery Root Mousse and persimmons and serve it with a glass of 12-years-old single malt? The flavors supplement the meat, while the Scotch’s malt rounds out the celery root. The fruity persimmons help lighten your whiskey when they produce the floral aromas. And for the delight of the night, the 12 Years Old lightens the entire dish.
You may also add chocolate to your meat and malt combination. But this works best with Guy Martin’s Lamb Chops with Coffee-Chocolate Sauce served with Garlic Purée recipe. The result is a dark aromatic espresso with coffee-chocolate flavors supplementing your Scotch the same way blueberry preserves add taste to malt dried fruit flavors. To get the best taste, use the 12 years old Macallan Cask Strength. Your whiskey will add to the spice along with the aromatic combinations in the dish.
However, be very careful mixing whiskey and garlic; they don’t mix well. The only reason it works for this pairing is because of the intense flavors of lamb, chocolate and coffee keeps the garlic levels in check.
3-Soup
Yes, soup! Rich and creamy cheeses round out well with malts. An excellent recipe to start with is the Rozanne Gold’s Brie, and Pear Soup served with your 12 Years Old favorite preferably a Highland malt. The malt’s touch of smoke completes the spicy notes of your Brie while honey and heather add to the sweetness of the pear. And for those who love scotch-food combinations, this is one of the most startling pairings given the simplicity of the recipe.
There you go! You can try out other relevant pairings, but be sure to proceed with caution.
