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LET ' S TALK ABOUT WHISKY
by David Beaufort-Dysart
December was very much food focused , and beverage always plays a supporting role . What about whisky as a partner to food ? Having a whisky with each course can be a great alternative to wine or beer .
Firstly , as whisky has a high flavour intensity , adding a little water can bring it down a few notches to the level of the food you are pairing it with . There are obvious pairings , smoked fish ( or any smoked seafood ) this will pair nicely with a smoky or peaty whisky ; I would suggest trying a ripe blue cheese . Oysters and mussels all work well , the saltiness of the whisky comes through . If you want to experiment further , pair Sashimi or Sushi with your dram . You could serve your whisky over ice or as a highball , the key here is to play around .
For the end of the meal , try a dish with dark chocolate , 72 % Dominican Republic with a smoky Islay , or after eight mints for a nice menthol contrast .
Before we dive into exploring another whisky region , let us have a recap on how I taste , again try this method or ' go your own way '!
The Glass : Ideally , I recommend you use a Glencairn glass , I ( and many ) see it as the official whisky tasting glass .
Pour and Nose : Add 20-25 ml of whisky to the glass , give it a gentle swirl then waft the glass from side to side under the nose ( smelling lightly is the key ) you need to get past the first hit of alcohol , then look for the character of your dram , try and focus on first impressions ; Fruit ? Floral ? Woody ? Smoke ? Peat ?
This month we are moving on up to one of my favourite regions . The Island of Islay , found on the West Coast of Scotland . This Island is similar in size to the Isle of Man . Islay ( pronounced ' eye-la ') not as ' is-lay ' which is how I pronounced it as a young whisky fledgling . This , I am sure , to the amusement of seasoned whisky drinkers .
Islay is seen by many as the ' Holy Grail ' of Single Malts . It is said that Irish Monks started distilling spirit on the Island as far back as the 12th Century . Way back then , distilled spirits were termed ' Aquae Vitae , ( Latin meaning ' Water of Life ’) or Gaelic ' Uisce Beatha ', ( pronounced ishka bah-ha ) ‘ Ishka becoming whisky ! The distilleries on Islay read like a ' who ' s who '; Laphroaig , Bowmore , Lagavulin , Ardbeg and so on , as for the Peat ! Well , it ' s in the DNA .
What are we tasting ? Laphroaig , Islay Single Malt , 10-year-old . This is up there with the best , the 10-year-old won Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Awards in 2019 . Nose : Medicinal , Smoky , Peat , Dried Seaweed Taste : Vanilla-sweetness , Smoky , Salty . Finish : Long , with a slightly white peppery finish ( best part of a tasting can be the finish , once you swallow , breath out through your nose and savour the flavour / s
The very first time I ever tried Laphroaig , it was one of those ' hmm this is strange ; smell of plasters or TCP ( Oily-Iodine ). Peat is a diverse flavour compound , many people adore this earthy , smoky perfume , for some it is an acquired taste . Laphroaig is easily recognisable , I remember at a blind tasting class , the teacher poured a glass and simply said ' you will know what this is before even nosing , the sweet peaty perfume filled the room ! This is what the French call ' Terroir ’.
At first the intensity of the peat seems quite one dimensional , but you must look beyond this and search for the layers of sweetness and saltiness . The vanilla sweetness comes from the use of American Oak , they use Makers Mark Bourbon whisky casks ( my Old-Fashioned saying hello again ) try a Laphroaig Old Fashioned , replacing the sugar with Honey , ( Honey you ' re SO old fashioned !)
If you want to try another masterpiece from Laphroaig , I highly recommend treating yourself to Laphroaig PX , finished in ex- Pedro Ximénez casks - notes of sultanas and raisins , with marzipan and liquorice , all wrapped up in lovely subtle peaty-ness .
Think of tasting Laphroaig like an early morning walk , along the rugged Scottish coast , it can make you stop you in your tracks , especially when you see the real beauty .
My very thoughtful partner , Jane , bought me a lovely hand-crafted Pen , the wood is made from no other than Laphroaig whisky casks , I have to say it writes beautifully !
Until next time Slainte ... wirrallife . com 27