Tips on how to Pair Meals with Smoky Whiskey

Cheese, chocolate, barbecue…Peking duck, the choices are seemingly countless in relation to pairing smoky whiskey with dishes from the world over. 

Although the dialogue round smoke in whiskeys might be advanced, it’s clear that the whiskey class incorporates a spread of contrasting flavors and nuances, even within the smaller class of smoke-forward whiskeys. 

“It is all about steadiness of taste and understanding what the bottom spirit’s character is,” says Ewan Morgan, U.S. luxurious ambassador and head of training for Diageo.

Varieties of smoke

The smoky taste in whiskey tends to both come from peat or the barrel used for growing older.

Peat is a wetland soil shaped by the partial decomposition of natural matter — largely plant materials — present in swamps, bogs, and fens. 

“Relying on what made up that peat bathroom, it additionally then delivers completely different chemical profiles, completely different flavors,” says Morgan, including that “all of them have their very own fingerprint.”

The smoky taste created by barrels comes from the char present in bourbon barrels, which many Scotch whisky distilleries use to age their spirit. 

Though Scotland stays the place most well-known for its smoky drams, it isn’t the one place producing smoky whiskeys. You’ll discover exemplary choices made in Kentucky, Texas, Washington, and Japan. 

Islay vs Highland peat

When referencing smoky whiskey, many individuals consider the Scottish island of Islay, the house of peat-heavy manufacturers like Lagavulin, Ardbeg, or Bruichladdich. These manufacturers and their highly effective maritime expressions provide very particular smoky profiles, but smoke-driven flavors might be present in bottlings throughout Caledonia.

“Islay peat may be very completely different from the peat that you’d discover outdoors of Aberdeen,” says Morgan. “[The peat] that goes into Dalwhinnie, for instance, [has a] form of heathery candy word, whereas, if that was Islay peat, it will be much more earthy.”

Islay whiskies provide extra medicinal and earthy notes that are typically fairly highly effective. 

“Lagavulin is a giant taste profile, so you are not gonna put something tremendous delicate up in opposition to it,” says Morgan when discussing pairing the whisky with numerous dishes. “It is gonna must have some form of char to it, so it will possibly then counter the massive highly effective traits of the whiskey.”

Morgan finds Highland whiskeys have a bit extra floral sweetness, which makes them work effectively with the creamier, lighter flavors present in sure cheeses. These smoky Highland bottlings may work effectively for pairing with poultry like hen or duck.

Tips on how to pair whiskey with meals

Seafood

Fish might be very delicate, so at first look it won’t appear to be the proper pairing alternative for smoky whiskey. Nonetheless, smoked fish is a good possibility in relation to pairing the 2, so long as you stay acutely aware of the cooking fashion. Smoked sturgeon, smoked swordfish, and smoked salmon all work effectively with Islay whiskies. Morgan suggests pouring a whiskey with Cullen skink — a standard Scottish soup product of smoked haddock, potatoes, and onion.

“Oysters do work very effectively with smoky whiskeys due to the maritime word that you will discover in any coastal whiskey,” says Morgan. “There is a barely salty, briny, ozone-y word to them and that is why they work effectively with oysters due to the salinity and sea air notes they ship.”

Different shellfish, like shrimp or scallops, additionally work effectively when you’re cooking over an open flame or wooden and also you get a pleasant char word to it. 

“That is the place they’re gonna begin to interaction with whiskeys very well, particularly smoky whiskeys as a result of then you definitely’ve bought that marrying of the 2 completely different types,” says Morgan. “One being peat smoke after which the opposite having this nearly barbecue char character to it, so they have a very nice form of synergy.”

“It is actually all about steadiness and never having one dominate the opposite,” he says. “They need to work collectively in unison and there must be a form of advantageous steadiness between the flavors of the 2 of them.”

Meat

With regards to pairing smoke-forward whiskeys with meats, it’s all about juxtaposition and never letting one overpower the opposite. 

Among the finest mixtures is pairing smoky whiskey with barbecue attributable to its large taste profile and wealthy texture. Cured meats like chorizo and morcilla can pair effectively with Highland whiskies, whereas andouille goes significantly effectively with these peaty, maritime bottlings.

Within the steak and protein world, making use of a heavy char after which controlling the inner temperature is an effective way to pair them with smoky whiskeys. 

Poultry

Lighter, heathery Highland smoke can pair effectively with hen or duck, however one in all Morgan’s favourite pairings has been Lagavulin and Peking duck. 

“Lagavulin and Peking duck is likely one of the greatest issues [I’ve] ever had,” he says. “I first had it at China Dwell in San Francisco and [it was] unbelievable. [Their Peking duck] has a very nice smoky word to it, in addition to that fantastic anise sweetness. [This dish] and Lagavulin is bonkers.”

Greens

Charred greens or charred corn are two glorious choices when searching for flavors that pair effectively with smoky whiskey. Charred carrots work significantly effectively as a result of they provide a sweetness together with the char, including one other layer of complexity that forestalls them from being overpowered by the whiskey. For comparable causes, charred leaks are additionally an ideal alternative.

Probably the most intriguing pairing mixtures Morgan has come throughout lately is elote from Mexico. “You have bought that fantastic charred corn in there with spices on it and that works very well with smoky whiskeys,” he says.

Morgan additionally suggests air frying brussels sprouts with a whiskey honey and Calabrian chili peppers, or including smoky whiskey to a creamy celeriac or celery root dish.

Cheese and dessert

Cheese, chocolate, and whiskey have an extended historical past of being paired collectively. Blue cheeses work particularly effectively with smoky whiskeys attributable to their robustness. The complexity of smoky whiskeys additionally lends itself effectively to bitter darkish chocolate, which intensifies the delicate sweetness within the whiskey’s smoke.

It isn’t simply cheese and darkish chocolate, nevertheless. The famed Scottish sticky toffee pudding pairs significantly effectively with smoky whiskeys. Morgan suggests including sea salt to take these pairings to the following degree as a result of it “boosts up the salinity of it and is then amplifying that maritime word” as effectively.