This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily, on December 16, 2015.
The holiday season is synonymous with dinner parties and get-togethers among family and friends. We Malaysians love our food, after all, and what better way to celebrate other than a treat for the senses amongst good company.
William Grant & Sons’ whisky pairing tips may just come in handy for the whiskey-lovers who will be hosting guests and are putting together a menu of food and drinks for the occasion. Glenfiddich Regional Brand Ambassador for Southeast Asia, Matthew Fergusson-Stewart, has some tips on how you can pair food with your favourite single malt whisky for a pleasurable dining experience.
Fergusson-Stewart recommends pairing a component of the dish with a note in the whisky, instead of matching flavours. For instance, a whisky with a note of apple would go well with pork or strawberries, but not with apples. The trick is to avoid overwhelming flavours that would reduce one’s ability to appreciate the subtleties in the dram.
Rich foods are unavoidable during festive seasons, but the good news is that food cooked with fat generally pair quite well with any whisky as the flavours that have dissolved into the fat will be rapidly released into the mouth when you take a sip of whisky. For an explosion of flavours, try sipping on whisky after eating a dish that has a little bit of chili and olive oil in it. For an all-rounded sensory experience, trigger the olfactory senses too and try pairing based on aromas.
Alternatively, you could also put your mixology skills to the test and attempt some cocktails that can be served as pre-dinner drinks. How to Mix Drinks, written by Jerry Thomas in 1862, is reportedly the first bartender’s guide — a 10-recipe book that has since been reprinted several times. Cocktails have evolved over the centuries that followed and now you can take your pick from the long list of concoctions or be adventurous and devise your own.
We have reproduced some delicious recipes by the family-owned distiller and spirits company, William Grant & Sons for you to play bartender at your party. Happy holidays!
Monkey Shoulder-Monkey Jam Sour
What you'll need
- 50ml Monkey Shoulder
- 5ml sugar syrup
- 2 tsp jam
- 20ml fresh lemon juice
- Optional soda water
- A dash of orange bitters
Making it
- Add all ingredients to shaker
- Add fresh ice and shake it like a legend
- Strain into ice filled glass
- Top with soda water if you fancy
Reyka Vodka-Icelandic Mule
What you'll need
- 2 parts Reyka Vodka
- ¾ parts ginger syrup
- ½ part lime juice
Making it
- Shake and strain into iced Collins glass.
- Top with soda water.
- Garnish with a lime wedge.
For Ginger Syrup:
- Combine 4 parts freshly pressed ginger juice with 3 parts sugar.
- Shake until sugar is dissolved.
Sailor Jerry Spiced-South Seas
What you'll need
- 2 parts Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum
- 2 parts red wine
- ½ part fresh lemon juice
- Lemon-lime soda
Making it
- Build Sailor Jerry, wine and juice in a rocks-filled mixing glass.
- Shake vigorously. Pour into a rocks-filled highball or pint glass. Top with soda and garnish with a lemon wedge.