5 Best Food and Whisky Pairings You Need To Try

What are some good food and whisky pairings?

1. Dark Chocolate and Bourbon
2. Apple Pie and Tennessee Whisky 
3. Smoked Salmon and Rye Whisky 
4. Dried Fruit & Nuts and Scotch 
5. Cheese and Irish Whisky 

Most people who wish to match their liquor with food order wine online in the Philippines. Whisky drinkers don’t commonly pursue the endeavor. However, the savory flavors of this amber-colored alcohol which comes in many forms — Scotch, Rye, Bourbon, Tennessee, Irish, Japanese, Canadian — has made it a popular pairing with certain food selections. The best food and whisky pairings just might elevate your liquor drinking experience. 

You are sure to come across an online liquor store in the Philippines that offers this elegant “gentleman’s drink”. But according to whisky’s distinct types and flavors, some food pairings work well, and others should be completely avoided. 

The flavors of whisky vary from light to full-bodied; from the touch of sweetness and fruit with citrus notes to more complex and bold with strong earthy and smoky notes. You’d want neither the whisky nor the food to dominate the flavors of the other. Instead, they should complement each other. Read on to discover the foods that pair perfectly with whisky.

Dark Chocolate and Bourbon

The first pairing most whisky lovers turn to is whisky and dark chocolate. Having bold and full-bodied whisky with a melting slab of dark chocolate offers an almost heavenly feeling as their juxtaposing flavors complement each other very well. 

Dark chocolate with more cocoa pairs well with Bourbon such as the Jim Beam White. 

Sip the Bourbon first, let its crisp with sweet caramel and slightly woody char flavors coat your palate. Then, have a piece of dark chocolate to bring out some of the bolder flavors of the whisky. 

You can do a lot of experiments with this famous pairing. If you’re feeling adventurous, a bar of orange-flavored dark chocolates tastes great with strong citrus notes enhanced. Plain milk chocolates tend to work better with rye whiskeys. 

Apple Pie and Tennessee Whisky

Apple pie is a comforting and sweet dessert that pairs very well with light and fragrant whiskies with a touch of sweetness. While there are different varieties of whisky, apple pie can be perfectly paired with Tennessee Whiskey. 

Tennessee Whiskey is often described as a lighter version of Bourbon. Its unique charcoal filtration process known as the “lincoln county process” takes some of the boldness out and leaves the toasted oak, caramel, and vanilla notes. When finding the perfect bottle to pair with your apple pie, you should look for one with a dark caramel flavor like the crowd-favorite Jack Daniel’s Old No 7. Tennessee Whiskey. 

Jack Daniel’s has a reputation for a light licorice note that lends flavors of vanilla, toasted oak, freshly brewed coffee, nuts, and English toffee. The caramel and sweetness in the whiskey complement the rich and cinnamon filling of apple pie exceptionally well. If apple pie is too filling for you, try pairing your Tennessee Whiskey with an apple crumble instead.

Smoked Salmon and Rye Whisky

Salmon is one of the most popular fish in the world. When prepared fresh, this is one of the dishes that will surely leave you wanting more with every bite—and with a glass of whisky, your dining experience will surely be amplified tenfold. 

The best way to enjoy the whisky and salmon pairing is to have the fish served to you smoked and well-seasoned. The buttery and smoked flavors of the salmon combine well with whiskies that have a high rye content. The Jack Daniel's Tennessee Rye Whiskey and Wild Turkey Rye has a characterful peppery bite and a spicy splash of flavor, plus some faint toffee sweetness that washes over the palate with every sip. 

Dried Fruit & Nuts and Scotch

Dried fruit and nuts are a bar-side classic snack. Although when it comes to pairing with whisky, you need to be careful in mixing the flavors. Choose a bottle that complements each other’s flavors. For example, sweeter nuts will go well with strong peaty whiskeys, whereas smoky flavored whiskies go well with roasted nuts. 

If you want a whisky that offers the best of both worlds, The Macallan is both sweet and spicy. While it is heavy on spicy sherry, the flavors are balanced with rich caramel or vanilla notes and touched with dried fruit notes. 

Cheese and Irish Whiskey

Cheese and liquor have long been a well-loved pairing. For a good reason, the high alcohol content can cut through the fattiness of the cheese. Whisky and cheese are a popular food pairing as well because they have several things in common. Both are aged and both come in different flavors. 

Many people love mild cheese plates with red wine. If those flavors tickle your palate, why not take your liquor drinking experience up a notch by pairing strong cheeses and whisky?  

When picking the best bottle, you should lean toward smoky or spiced whiskies. Their dark and bitter flavors bring out the salty flavors in strong cheeses. Aged cheddar goes well with smoky-flavored whiskies. While strong varieties like blue cheese go well with spicier whiskies like the Jameson Irish Whiskey. This bottle perfectly balances spicy, nutty, and vanilla notes with hints of sweet sherry and exceptional smoothness.

Key Takeaway

Gone are the days when people sipped whisky on their own. Don’t miss out because the best food and whisky pairings can easily elevate your alcohol drinking experience! 

As the leading affordable online liquor store in the Philippines, Clink is ready to cater to all your whisky needs. Whether it’s Japanese, Tennessee, Bourbon, Scotch, or Rye — we have a bottle in store that is sure to satisfy your palate.