Dreaming of a whisky Christmas

Chivas 18

 

I tend to think of this time of year as an opportunity to indulge in richer flavoured and, maybe, more expensive whiskies. Why not try a Christmas dinner with a whisky to match each course this year? What might match the Christmas pudding, for example? Some of the Dalmore range have all the characteristics of Christmas pud in a glass as do several other brands. Highland Park can go well with a good roast beef with rich gravy.

One thing I have noticed is that richly sherried whiskies don’t always match foods with sherry in them as the whiskies often have a very dry finish. It’s a matter of trial and error – but such fun trying!

Those of you in the on and off-trades don’t get so much time off at Christmas and New Year as others amongst us, but whatever time you do get it’s also a good time of year to try drinking or using whisky in new ways, trying out new mixes and cocktails – and I do mean using malts as well as blends, overseas whiskies as well as Scotches. Often worth trying out to encourage customers into something a little different or help upselling in the festive period.

Just to tickle the taste buds here are a couple of recipes to try courtesy of my friends at Chivas (Pernod Ricard) which were created for them by Bramble Bar:

Sazerac Twist                                                                 

INGREDIENTS

50ml Chivas Regal 18YO

12.5ml gomme

Dash Pernod Absinthe

Dash Peychaud’s Bitters

METHOD: Add crushed ice to an old fashioned glass and drizzle approx 10-15ml of Absinthe over. Leave to rest.

In a mixing glass, add all other ingredients with cubed ice and stir until diluted enough (approx 1 minute).

Throw away contents of old fashioned glass (Absinthe and ice) to leave a light coating on the glass. Add contents of mixing glass to the empty old fashioned glass.

GLASS: Old Fashioned/Whisky Tumbler

GARNISH: Lemon twist discarded

Speyside Mountain

INGREDIENTS

40ml Glenlivet 12YO

15ml Noilly Prat Dry Vermouth

15ml Sweet Vermouth (I used Cocchi Torino)

15ml fresh lemon juice

7.5ml Grenadine

Dash Pasteurised egg white

METHOD: Add all ingredients to a shaker and ‘dry shake’ (without ice) to help froth up the egg white. Then add cubed ice to the shaker and shake hard for approx 20 seconds. Double strain into coupette.

GLASS: Coupette/Martini Glass

GARNISH: Orange twist

All that remains for me to say is have a Merry Christmas and a Happy and Prosperous New Year. See you in 2015.

Caroline Dewar

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