What food to go with laphroaig (and other whiskys)?

[Rossmeister]

I got tons of help from you guys in the single malt for beginner thread, and here I am again!

I recently tasted Laphroaig 10. What a great drink! Not too aggressive (see, shaving lingo is all I know now!), very round and it tastes like it'll go PERFECTLY with cured meat. Hey, it tastes smoky and savory, so why not? Cured leg of mutton was my first though when the taste developed. I am definitely getting one to enjoy with this fine ambrosia.

I'm thinking of getting a bottle and loads of cured meat and maybe throw a party for the boys. In some parts of Norway, that's very traditional cuisine. It would be awesome to see how these two traditions pair up.

What food do you pair with Laphroaig? And other whiskys, of course.. I found that chocolate goes amazingly well with The Macallan 12.

 

[nff]

I got tons of help from you guys in the single malt for beginner thread, and here I am again!

I recently tasted Laphroaig 10. What a great drink! Not too aggressive (see, shaving lingo is all I know now!), very round and it tastes like it'll go PERFECTLY with cured meat. Hey, it tastes smoky and savory, so why not? Cured leg of mutton was my first though when the taste developed. I am definitely getting one to enjoy with this fine ambrosia.

I'm thinking of getting a bottle and loads of cured meat and maybe throw a party for the boys. In some parts of Norway, that's very traditional cuisine. It would be awesome to see how these two traditions pair up.

What food do you pair with Laphroaig? And other whiskys, of course.. I found that chocolate goes amazingly well with The Macallan 12.

for teh phroaig STEAK!!! put some on the steak while cooking too!

 

[mikey]

Cigars

 

[Rossmeister]

85 views and only steak and cigars? Don't you people eat when you drink?

 

[DavyRay]

Malaysian beef rendang calls for whisky. The spices include star anise, which complements the Scotch.

 

[Walter Sobchak]

I don't eat when I'm enjoying my good scotch. I don't want to foul it.

I'll take a Manhattan with a steak, though.

 

[Aaron01]

Try it with a stronger cheese, they go well with peaty, smoky scotches.

I don't know about chocolate going with the Mac 12, but I find it does go well with Bowmore 12 as that has some chocolate notes to it

 

[djh]

Hi E,

I find that a good whisky pairs with lots of different foods as long as the food is strongly-enough flavoured to not be overwhelmed. Smoked and cured meats and fish, chocolate, fruit cake and other desserts are examples of foods that will pair with an Islay whisky. I have also enjoyed a glass with a nice sandwich of roast beef and mustard.
It really is something that you will need to explore to find what suits your own tastes best, but maybe those ideas will be a starting point.

 

[binowatch]

Everything goes well with Scotch- it is really simple, the worse the food the more scotch you need! Personally, oysters on the half shell, a good caesar salad with real anchovies, a grilled ribeye goes great-I recently did that a local restaurant-one happy boy!!

 

[Argonaut]

I rarely pair a scotch or bourbon with food, I figure thats the wines job. The scotch/bourbon comes a half hour later. I made the mistake once of eating a few nacho cheese Doritos halfway through a glass of Glenmorangie, that next sip was not a pleasant one!

 

[my19]

I was savoring a finger or two of Ardbeg 10 yesterday and was really taken with the salty tang I found in it. So the cured meats, smoked salmon, maybe some shellfish, would match up really well, I think.

 

[Relayer56]

I rarely pair a scotch or bourbon with food, I figure thats the wines job. The scotch/bourbon comes a half hour later.

Same here.

 

[RolandofGilead]

I rarely pair a scotch or bourbon with food, I figure thats the wines job. The scotch/bourbon comes a half hour later.

Same here.

Yep me too. A nice Cabernet (well, a cheap cab I should say haha) then a glass of Scotch later while I relax on the couch.
I will admit I've had dark chocolate with my Mac 12, it actually is pretty good.

 

[Rossmeister]

And why wouldn't it be? It's a perfect match! We're putting flavours together, after all.

I don't much care for red wine, and white and rose doesn't go with all food. Whisky is a heavy drink, so it's not like I would have a glass or two with dinner. But if anyone had any nice pairings, it'd be interesting to try.

Whisky is recommended with chocolate all the time though, so that's pretty normal.

 

[binowatch]

I rarely pair a scotch or bourbon with food, I figure thats the wines job. The scotch/bourbon comes a half hour later. I made the mistake once of eating a few nacho cheese Doritos halfway through a glass of Glenmorangie, that next sip was not a pleasant one!

All wine triggers my migraines-distilled spirits like scotch and bourbon don't-so when I want an alcoholic beverage with food I must make the horrible sacrifice and drink a single malt or favorite bourbon. I just don't know how I manage!

 

[dgilman]

It really is something that you will need to explore to find what suits your own tastes best...

+1. I don't usually eat whilst drinking scotch. (I don't usually use the word 'whilst' either, but it seemed too good an opportunity to miss.) I keep meaning, though, to try an Islay malt with the kinds of foods that are traditionally served where the whisky is made. I've always imagined that those smoky, peaty Islay malts would be fantastic with a little platter of smoked salmon. I know that scotch is also the traditional accompaniment to haggis at a Burns Supper, but I rather doubt that just any single malt will do for that. (Likewise, those sweet, floral highland whiskies might not go so well with smoked meat or fish.)

In general, it's always a good idea to consider pairing an alcoholic beverage with dishes local to the same place where the booze was made: the locals have often had hundreds, if not thousands of years to fiddle with recipes and come up with good pairings.

 

[Masterkova]

My vote is for reindeer with lingonberries. Or something else gamey.

 

[Rossmeister]

Mmmmm, reindeeer. It is rather mild though, and it doesn't have that cured taste.

 

[shaveBandito]

Haggis! Yummmm ....

+1 - what he said ...... haggis, laddie ..... haggis

 

[fireengineer2004]

I rarely pair a scotch or bourbon with food, I figure thats the wines job. The scotch/bourbon comes a half hour later. I made the mistake once of eating a few nacho cheese Doritos halfway through a glass of Glenmorangie, that next sip was not a pleasant one!

Amen! Even water can (does?) screwup a good scotch. Bourbon and branch on the other hand...