Whisky & food - A perfect match or a detraction from the experience?
We give you the answer to this question
When talking about enjoying other delicious consumer goods with your whisky, many people frown upon the claim that whisky should always be enjoyed on its own to get the full experience. While this statement may be true in some cases, there are also many cases where whisky and food (or snacks) form a wonderful symbiosis.
There is a big difference between which consumer product and which whisky go together. A solid rule of thumb is that you should avoid consuming unnaturally sweet foods with your whisky, as the natural sweetness of a whisky can quickly become grotesquely overpowered. For me, for example, I can never fully enjoy a whisky at the same time as a bag of wine gums or a glass of cold soda. There are two factors that can make a good match; contrast ratio and similar shades that compliment each other. Below I will discuss the pairings that I personally find most outstanding.
Islay (generally smoked whisky)
A Islay whisky, such as a bottle of Ardbeg or Laphroaig goes great with grilled vegetables (especially peppers), seafood and perhaps a good old-fashioned pork rind. All the nuances are allowed to shine in this pairing, as they all offer their own version of the same genre.
If you want to explore a contrasting relationship with Islay whisky, I would recommend enjoying a piece of dark chocolate (minimum 70% cocoa).
Speyside (generally sweet, sherry aged whisky)
When you want to find a suitable combination with a sweet and approachable Speyside whisky, such as a bottle of AberlourI would recommend using it as a small sidecar to a piece of freshly baked French bread or a delicious (not too sweet) spice cake. The sweet, vinous expression of the whisky goes really well with the taste of fresh, warm baked goods.
A delicious contrast with Speyside whisky is chips with sea salt. This combination really enhances the sweetness of the whiskey and gives a stronger overall impression.
American (Bourbon, Rye, etc.)
I often enjoy this type of whiskey with meat-based dishes. A good example would be a bottle of Noah's Mill Bourbon. The sweetness from the corn content of the whiskey and the spicy flavor from the rye content of the whiskey pairs perfectly with a ribeye steak with garnish and oven baked potatoes. The flavor of American whiskey is its own and is incredibly dominated by the oak flavor. Therefore, in my opinion, American whiskey is the only type of whiskey that can be combined with most types of food. American whiskey certainly excels in the company of tobacco as a contrast ratio. However, this can also be said of much Scotch whisky, especially the sweeter varieties.
I'm sure there are a lot of exciting flavor combinations that I haven't even thought of yet. This is one of the beautiful aspects of the whisky world, as there are always new experiences on the horizon if you're curious enough.
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