Page 42 - Phonebox Magazine November 2014

MALT MASTERCHEF
A lesson in food and whisky pairing
Asix course dinner, each accompanied with a different whisky. This was Malt Masterchef. A genius idea from the Newport Pagnell & Olney Lions Club. There was never any doubt we would go of course. The dinner was being cooked by the lovely chefs at the Bull. And there was alcohol involved. A no-brainer. But would we like it? Whisky in food, well that’s OK. Marmalade and whisky bread and butter pudding, a whisky sauce for steak, haggis or game. These are lovely things. But drinking neat whisky alongside your dinner. Does that work? Surely the alcohol and the strong flavours would fight against the food. And more importantly, by the time we reach the seventh whisky, would I be capable of coherent thought at all?
So to the dinner? First course was a delicious melon, ginger & chilli shot. A lovely blend of fresh melon with the heat of ginger and chilli running through. This was paired with Connoisseurs’ Choice Blair Athol 1997 - a light, citrusy whisky said to have hints of chilli spice. The result? A bit like a weird whisky cocktail and not at all unpleasant, the ginger standing up well to the fire of the whisky. An exciting start.
Next up, smoked salmon (home-cured with whisky), served with rocket, beetroot and horseradish relish. Controversially, it was served with an English whisky - Chapter 11. The earthy peaty and peppery flavour matched the rocket that complements the salty salmon. I’m starting to see how this works now. Third course was a mighty hunk of venison, served up with pancetta, cabbage and glorious roast potatoes, all nestling in a pool of port jus. We were served a Linkwood 1991 Cote Rotie Finish described as having hints of pepper, raspberry, dark chocolate and a little sweet wine. All of which should work very well with those sturdy venison flavours. But I did rather hanker for a slug of red wine at this point.
Onto dessert. The creamiest Amaretto Creme Brulee imaginable topped with gloriously sweet strawberries. And yet more whisky - a Benromach Organic - peaty and described as having a sweet cream toffee finish. It had to match both strawberries and cream so was always going to be a tough call.
Only three to go now! With the cheese (a stonking Mull of Kintyre Cheddar and a soft and creamy Dunsyre Blue) we had Connoisseurs Choice Caol Ila 1999 and Old Pulteney 8 year old. The first a full on smoky Islay whisky, the second a lighter, salty, fruity taste. More in my comfort zone now with strong cheeses matching up well to the robust whiskies - or perhaps I simply don’t care anymore!
Lastly with home-made dark, rich, heavenly chocolate truffles, a Linkwood 15 year old. Aged in sherry casks, this was sweet and heavy leaning to a brandy flavour. A perfect pairing with the sublime chocolates and a lovely end to the evening.
Surprisingly we made it through the evening relatively intact and were even hangover free the following morning. But what did I learn? The sheer range and variety of whisky flavours was most surprising, each one different from the other with very complex flavours. And yes they do go with food. It would have been really interesting (although perhaps rather life-threatening) to have tasted a range of whiskies with each course to truly understand how they affect, challenge or complement the flavours.
Will I be whisky and food matching in the future? I don’t think so. Whilst I got the idea and loved the evening, I’ll be sticking to wines with my dinner in future. It’s comfortable and tastes delicious. I know where I am with it. But I’ll certainly be dipping back into the whisky cupboard with renewed enthusiasm and a more educated palate. And come Burns night next year - well who knows what might happen?
42 Phonebox Magazine
p. foodie
The event was organised by the Newport Pagnell & Olney Lions - the third annual whisky tasting event they have done. The whisky pairing was chosen by Bill Hutcheson of Gordon & MacPhail, Scotland’s largest independent whisky distributors. Fabulous food from The Bull Olney.
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