By Guest Blogger Jessica Smith
Whiskey and food pairing is the newest hot trend of 2019. The traditional product to enjoy with whiskey and loved by most is a cigar. But there are other right food combinations too. You don’t have to be an expert judge to have a whiskey party with any food you plan on serving. What matters is you must know the primary flavor of the whiskey you are serving to decide on the food combination. Here is a list of five foods that go well with the traditional whiskey-cigar combination or just the whiskey too.
1. Smoked Salmon
The whiskeys with high rye content pairs well with smoked salmon. You can enjoy smoked salmon with the classic Old Pulteney 12 whiskey which gives a tangy flavor and also brings out the fresh flavors of salmon. The oaky flavor due to smoking the salmon combines perfectly with Auchentoshan American Oak whiskey giving it the spiciness with a slight vanilla flavor. The smoking of salmon takes place on oak shavings from Scotch whiskey casks. The Isle of Skye whiskey when complemented with smoked salmon brings sweet and smoky flavors to your palate. So in your next fishing day trip, smoke that salmon and serve with your favorite whiskey.
2. Dark Chocolate
Day tripping on a sunny day can be very tiring. Carry dark chocolates to munch on to get instant energy. You can pair dark chocolate with whiskey as well. While buying high-quality dark chocolate, opt for the chocolate with higher cocoa content rather than an expensive one. You can experiment with different chocolate flavors until you find the right one. You can either serve whiskey with plain dark chocolate or orange-flavored dark chocolate. The citrus taste of the scotch tastes well when taken with the orange-flavored dark chocolate. Best chocolates to pair with rye whiskeys are ginger or chili flavored dark chocolate and milk chocolate. Single malt scotch whiskey pairs well with salted hazelnut chocolates. To enjoy your drink, first, get comfortable with the drink by taking a few sips. Once you get the taste and feel of whiskey, then take a bite of chocolate. Allow the chocolate to melt and move it around the mouth to get the flavors of chocolate and whiskey combined.
3. Grilled Steaks
Lunch on your day trip is incomplete without a plate full of steak served with veggies and whiskey. Though bourbon and rye are classic picks, scotch tastes divine when taken with grilled steak. For a lean cut steak, choose a whiskey that will bring out the flavor like Michter’s bourbon. The medium-cut steaks that you cook with a herbaceous sauce like chimichurri go well with a wet, rich whiskey with plenty of peat. For the fatty and flavorful steaks, choose a whiskey that has the intensity and supports the fat caramelization, like Lock Stock and Barrel Rye. You also need to experiment with the flavoring of the steak and its fat content. Next weekend, pour yourself a glass of whiskey and cook 3 different types of steak to know which one suits your taste. Bird Dog Whiskey would be an excellent choice as it has flavors of blackberry that would taste amazing with grilled steak.
4. Cheese
Just like wine and cheese, whiskey and cheese are the new combinations. They both have a lot of similarities. They both come in different flavors and taste good with age. A spicy whiskey tastes well with blue cheese whereas light fragrant whiskeys go well with a soft cheese like brie or goat cheese. The flavors of cheese and whiskey complement each other when you pair an aged cheddar with a sweeter whiskey. Fig goat cheese paired with whiskey gives a pleasant and appetizing feeling. So, next time when you go out for a day trip with your friends, remember to order a selection of cheese and whiskeys. Don’t order more than three varieties of cheese and whiskey.
5. Dried Fruits and Nuts
Dry fruits are the perfect pairing to snack with any drink. From honey-roasted cashews to salted peanuts to a handful of almonds is a good snack to munch on while sipping your favorite drink. Nuts are a great combination to take with whiskey too. The rule behind pairing nuts with whiskey is to keep it plain i.e. no sugar and no salt. Adding salt or sugar to the nuts overpowers the flavor of the whiskey. For example, you can pair up banana chips with Balabair whiskey. Some whiskeys have a fruity flavor and pairing them with the right dried fruits gives a boost to the taste. For example, Sherry-cask whiskeys pair well with cranberries, raisins, and prunes whereas bourbon goes well with apricots and almonds. Also, dry fruits are easy to carry while on a day trip.
6. Conclusion
These are the top five ways to make whiskey and food a good combination on a day trip. Let us know which one is your favorite, out of the above ones. Also, there are other food combinations than the ones mentioned. Experiment with other foods to know which one tastes better. The combinations might surprise you by creating magic with different flavors bursting in your mouth.
About the Author:
Jessica Smith has been writing for a few years now. She loves cooking, traveling and dancing. She wants to be a successful writer as writing is her only passion.
