A match made in Scotland: Whisky & Food Matching

Related tags Scotch whisky

YOU'LL KNOW about matching wine and food, of course, and increasingly pubs are actively encouraging the link between beer and food. Whisky and food,...

YOU'LL KNOW about matching wine and food, of course, and increasingly pubs are actively encouraging the link between beer and food. Whisky and food, however, will be a new one on many.

Apart from the tradition of tipping a dram over your haggis, the gastronomic potential of scotch whisky is largely unexploited.

But that such a potential exists was given satisfying substance at a three-course lunch that formed a kind of aperitif to the Whisky Live show in London earlier this month.

It was hosted by the people behind the Spirit of Speyside Festival, which aims to promote Scotland's most prolific whisky region as a tourist destination with five days of events in the lush hillsides between Aberdeen and Inverness in May.

The winning combination

The meal featured the winning menu devised by the first Spirit of Speyside Chef of the Year - former Pub Food Award-winning licensee Graham Harvey, who now runs the Craggan Mill restaurant in Grantown-on-Spey, Morayshire.

His meal ingeniously combined well-tried matches with an imaginative dash of adventure. There is nothing radical about whisky and haggis, for instance, but his 'haggis veloute' is actually a spicy soup enhanced by the contribution of a spicy Glenfarclas malt, described by chef and author Sue Lawrence, who was on the final judging panel, as "an absolute revelation".

Similarly the orange jus that garnished the main course salmon was matched by the citrus aftertaste of an Aberlour that also cut through the fattiness of the fish.

The triumphant climax, though, was the combination of chocolate truffle torte and boiled sweet character of a Glen Moray. As Graham himself remarked, "you can't fail with whisky and chocolate".

Chair of judges Martine Nouet was well-placed to come to a decision, being widely acknowledged as the pioneer of whisky and food matching.

"I started doing it as a hobby," she said. "People said to me you're crazy - you're French! Whisky won't completely replace wine, of course, but it's worth perhaps experimenting with an occasional whisky dinner.

"It's not easy to balance the aromas and tastes of scotch whisky with food, but in this case Graham has got the matching perfect with every dish."

Graham's winning menu

Veloute of haggis laced with Glenfarclas 15-year-old
Roast fresh salmon with Aberlour
16-year-old, served with dauphinoise potatoes and wilted spring greens, garnished with black pudding nuggets
Chocolate truffle torte improved with Glen Moray 16-year-old with raspberry coulis

A chocolate treat

For a simple after-dinner treat for customers break up a block of high-quality dark chocolate - at least 70 per cent cocoa solids - and match with a good malt whisky.

Not every whisky works so you may have to experiment (which should be fun). Isle of Jura and Glen Moray are two that pass the test.

Matching the Classic Malts range

Drinks giant Diageo is supporting its Classic Malts range with a Whisky and Food CD ROM that includes dozens of matching and recipe ideas with advice on how to organise a whisky dinner.

It also includes tips on simple matching for each of its brands. For instance, a selection of bar snacks might include: