All three of these food and whisky pairings in this series has been graciously gifted by the Scotch Malt Whisky Society, of which I am an affiliate of. That means that, if you decide to purchase anything via the links in green, I may earn a small commission for. All opinions on mouthwatering dessert and luscious whiskies are my own. The Scotch Malt Whisky Society is a members-only club for whisky and other single cask spirit enthusiasts. Click here to learn more about the membership benefits!

As someone who has an absolute sweet tooth and will always say yes to a dessert, I was so excited to hear that the food and whisky pairings extended beyond main courses and starters. Of the food and whisky pairings I’ve done, the ones with “sweets” often see chocolate paired with whisky. But a full dessert course? Never before. (well, in my limited and humble experience!)

1. Scotch Malt Whisky Society – Greville Street – London!

Unlike the other tasting I’ve done with the Scotch Malt Whisky Society, this one coincided with a personal trip south of the border – to London, England! Home of the Queen, the Tower Bridge, and the Greville Street Member Room.

In true speakeasy style, the London Member Room wasn’t where Google Maps said it was – at least the entrance wasn’t. Perpendicular to Greville Street, down the Bleeding Heart Yard (alley), was a big wooden door and keypad, surrounded by pink columns. On the windows surrounding the door, an alphabetical listing of Scotch whisky distilleries, starting with Aberfeldy at the top, down to Tormore at the bottom.

Honestly, I’m sure there is a Scotch Malt Whisky Society sign somewhere, but sometimes I can be aloof, and maybe I overlooked it. The bottles of whisky in the window were a dead giveaway though!

The folks at Greville Street knew I was coming, and when I buzzed they let me up. I was greeted at the top of the stairs by their delightful team, who I would come to know better in the coming days. That’s the thing about whisky, you end up just chatting and befriending people.

I was so happy to be joined on this tasting with my friend B, who I hadn’t seen since pre-pandemic times. I met B on a Twins that Travel tour to Turkey back in 2019, and she’s her spirit is just full of fun and positivity – that great energy that you’d want around anywhere. So, thanks B for joining me and keeping up with the 5 whiskies we went through!!

2. Some charcuterie to start!

While the SMWS Greville Street doesn’t have a dedicated kitchen, they partner with the Bleeding Heart Bistro next door to offer nibbles, a handful of mains and some desserts. I had taken the train down from Glasgow that day, and needed to eat something before jumping into the world of dessert and whisky. So, the charcuterie platter it was! Jasmine, who works at SMWS, came to take our order and asked if we wanted a whisky to start out with prior to the tasting.

Well, I won’t turn down a good whisky.

The best thing to do, is to ask your SMWS Ambassador for a whisky recommendation. And Jasmine did not disappoint!!! Limitness Scrumptiousness, cask no. 39.218, which is categorized in the “sweet, fruity and mellow” profile. A 13 year old Speyside whisky, at 57% ABV. I have to say hands down, this is one of my favorite SMWS bottlings! Definitely, light and sweet and reminded me of lychees and other sweet deliciousness. Maybe I was just in the mood for something light and incredible to start the evening.

3. Dessert and whisky – onto the main event!

Any time the main event is a dessert, you can be sure I’m a happy Lannie. Tonight’s main event would be two desserts and 5 whiskies. (FIVE WHISKIES? well – the Scotch Malt Whisky Society doesn’t mess around on a food and whisky pairing event… I think you must’ve figured that out by now! After five whiskies, you’ll be glad you started the evening with some charcuterie!) Each of these desserts were expertly paired by JP, the Venue Supervisor at Greville Street.

Having had a chat with JP during the tasting about the pairings, his whisky pairing style became clear. He believes that everything should be a balance of opposites. While you could have whiskies that always complement the food, in order to achieve equilibrium, there should be a negative to balance the positive. Not saying that he chose negative whiskies, but rather the less obvious choices – intentionally not pairing citrus with citrus, fruity with fruity. That kind of inverse balance.

So now, onto the dessert and whisky pairing!

3.1 White Chocolate Cheesecake with Poached Apricots

The first dessert we delighted in was a white chocolate cheesecake with poached apricots. Cheesecake is arguably one of the most classic desserts, and when you drizzle it with poached apricots, it takes the classic cheesecake to new heights!

The cheesecake was paired with Clementine Confit and Who’s Been in the Biscuit Tin?

The Clementine Confit, a 10 year blended Scotch, at 50% ABV, was a perfect pairing for the sweet, rich cheesecake. Aromas of coconuts, dark chocolates, oranges and other stone fruits, which is a lovely complementary taste to the apricots and white chocolate cheesecake.

Who’s Been in the Biscuit Tin? (cask no. 44.136) is a 16 year old Speyside, at 55.6% ABV, matured in a refill ex-bourbon barrel. The tasting notes on this one says that the nose has lavendar and apricots, and tomatoes with brazil nuts, with the taste of juicy fruits and biscuits.

If I were digging deep into what JP was saying, I could definitely see the Biscuit Tin being a little on the inverse complementary side. Of course, whisky is a very personal experience, but I felt like following a nibble of the cheesecake, going back to the Biscuit Tin was a “punchier” taste than before.

3.2 Lemon Tart with Verbena Sorbet

We were forewarned by Jasmine that this lemon tart was super lemony. My mouth puckered up and I immediately began salivating at the thought of a really citrusy lemon tart. Although sour desserts aren’t my favorite, I can definitely appreciate a really tart lemon tart (hehe) or a key lime pie or anything like that really. One does not discriminate with sweet or sour desserts. Man. Just thinking of this lemon tart has got me salivating again. The struggle is real.

With the verbena sorbet, this lemon tart was just tart on tart.. but in a good way! This absolutely mouth watering dessert was paired with 3 whiskies, which were meant to be drank from left to right. The last one, is JP’s negative or inverse pairing.

We started with Salad Undressing (cask no. 1.226). In case you’re curious, I’m still giggling at the name. Anyway, Salad Undressing is an 8 year old Speyside, at 58.4% ABV. Very flavorful with hints of cream soda, orange cocktail bitters, and then some earthy, nutty tones. The lemon tart gave this whisky a nice balance, and brought out more of its “nuttier” flavors, if that makes sense.

Next up, Funky Rhubarb, Rum Baba (cask no. 44.137) – 16 year Speyside whisky, at 52.1% ABV. As you can expect with the name, the taste of it was sweet and tart like a funky rhubarb. But on the nose and a bit of the finish, was woodsy, but still a little sweet and tart. The ironic thing is, before the lemon tart, you didn’t get as much of the woodsiness. But after, that was all I could taste. Interestingly enough, the tasting notes from the bottle say:”With some water, we took an axe and wandered into a forest on a hot autumn day to chop some wood.” If that doesn’t accurately describe it, I don’t know what will.

The last whisky of the night was When Life Gives you Lemons (cask no. 68.43), an 11 year Highland whisky, at 55.6% ABV. JP’s infamous negative pairing for balance. A little lemony, a little oaky spiciness. Honestly, this was my least favorite whisky before the lemon tart, and after, to me, it was just too much of a contrast. Personally, I thought that it brought out all the wrong flavors.

My friend, B, didn’t have as adverse a reaction as I did, but like I said – whisky tasting and food pairings are a personal experience, and everyone experiences something different and unique. This one wasn’t for me, and that’s ok. I was happy to abandon the whisky and go back to my mouthwatering lemon tart.

Parting Thoughts

I absolutely love the idea of desserts being paired with whisky. And honestly, what a wonderful evening at the Scotch Malt Whisky Society Greville Street! The staff there are so friendly and wonderful, my friend and I just had a fabulous time! Ok, so with my honest review, I didn’t like the last whisky and dessert pairing. But that’s ok! I want a food and whisky pairing to challenge my pre-existing notions of what works and what doesn’t work. I want it to expand my palate!

I love how innovative the Scotch Malt Whisky Society is with their food and whisky pairings. Let’s continue to challenge the notion of what can be paired with whisky. Let’s keep innovating and trying out new ideas and foods and whiskies!

A little closing note – as a huge foodie and newbie onto the whisky scene, the tastings and pairings that I did with the Scotch Malt Whisky Society were absolutely incredible. I enjoyed every single one of them! Just because August’s food and whisky pairing month is officially over, doesn’t mean you can’t head over to the Scotch Malt Whisky Society for some food and whisky pairings yourself. Staff and ambassadors there alike are always there to give advice on complementary or inverse pairings – whichever you’re in the mood for!

A huge thank you to the Scotch Malt Whisky Society for gifting me these food and whisky pairings! Hope you all enjoyed reading about the food and whisky pairing series as much as I did experiencing them!

• If you’re planning to move on from London over to SMWS in Scotland, consider taking the Caledonian Sleeper – an overnight sleeper train to Glasgow, Edinburgh and others!

Until then, everyone stay safe and slainte mhath!

Pin it for later!

Lannie

Lannie is a perpetual wanderer and loves to share her travel adventures and the food she eats along the way with everyone.  She works during the day while bouncing around the world and dreams about new places and faces at night!  She has a home on the magical Isle of Islay in Scotland, where the whisky flows freely and happily.

Click on the blue icons below to follow her on social media!

lanniesfoodandtravel.com/index.php/about-me/

Food and whisky pairing month at Scotch Malt Whisky Society continues in a spectacular fashion, with surf and turf and whisky! If you didn’t manage to read the first post in my food and whisky pairing series, I started out in Edinburgh with a tasting menu food pairing – decadent and wonderfully paired.

This time, we go back to Bath Street in Glasgow to see what they’ve been cooking up there, since we last visited. And I’ll tell you – it’s as exciting as ever – Surf and Turf and whisky. Bet you didn’t know that would be an amazing combination, did you?

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society generously gifted me these food and whisky pairings. I am also an affiliate, which means that if you make any purchases or become a member of the SMWS via the links in green or in the yellow boxes, I will earn a small commission from that. Otherwise, my opinions and experience are my own, and I’m happy to be able to taste this amazing food with incredible whisky!

I’ve written before that many people are surprised at the thought of whiskies during dinner, as opposed to a before or after dinner drink. But, everyone’s different. The whiskies here are individually paired with each starter and your main course. So, with 2 starters, 1 main meal, and a wee dessert, that puts the total for the evening up to 4 cask strength whiskies!

Before I begin, a big thank you to Anthony who hosted the tasting at SMWS Bath Street. I’ve known Anthony since the first day I walked into Bath Street a few months ago, and was excited to have my first tasting with him! He was a wonderful host and selected a beautiful selection of whiskies to go with the meals. So, thank you! Looking forward to coming back to Bath Street!

And now, onto the food!

1. Food and whisky pairing: the starters!

The surf and turf theme started out strong, with both, a “surf” starter, and a “turf” starter. With appropriately paired whiskies of course.

The first starter: a whisky cured salmon, with fennel and orange – with the whisky being a blend of Islay and Speyside whiskies. In case you’re looking for it, you’ll find the cask sitting on top of the bar. The salmon and orange was tart, with a creamy sauce, and crunchy toppings. It was a delightful mix of textures and flavors.

The salmon was paired with Cask No. 52.41 “Seahorse Ramen” (fitting for tonight’s theme), which had its flavor profile was “Oily and Coastal.” 52.41 is a 7 year Highland whisky, at 59.6% ABV. After nibbling the salmon, it smoothed out the heaviness of the whisky, but left much of the “sea salt in your face” oceanic tastes.

The second starter: a braised beef croquette, with a creamy mustard mayonnaise sauce inside.

The croquette was paired with Cask 10.199 “Norse & Hawaiian Mythology”, categorized as “Deep, Rich and Dried Fruits.” 10.199 is an Islay whisky, aged 10 years, at 59% ABV. The whisky was peppery and salty, but ironically for Islay, unpeated. Initially it was orangey on the nose, and following a bite of the braised beef croquette, turned fruitier.

This whisky was finished in a Pedro Ximenez sherry cask, which gave it its dark, delightful color. A quick note on the sherry cask finish… Whisky smells and tastes are a personal experience, with everyone experiencing something different and unique. One of the other guests said that sherry finishes “smell of the inside of a Wellington boot.” When he said that, what I wanted to say in return was:

If you don’t have something nice to say, don’t say anything at all.

– a woman who loves a sherry cask finish, and does not think that it smells like a smelly boot.

2. Surf and Turf and whisky: the main event!

Here’s what I’ve been waiting for – the main event! A mouthwatering, expertly grilled ribeye steak with king prawns. Served with chips (or for this American, “fries”), roasted tomatoes and marrowbone butter. Boy oh boy, can the Scotch Malt Whisky Society do food!!

The main course was paired with a peated whisky, from Cask no. 137.9, entitled “Massive oak and mighty smoke!” (exclamation point included). This whisky was interested – the peated malt was from either Laphroaig or Port Ellen Maltings (that was a little unclear), but then it was distilled south of the border in Norfolk England. At 65.2% ABV, it was a kicker. This whisky started the first year of its life in a charred new oak barrel, and then was moved for 7 years to an ex-bourbon barrel. Delightfully smoky and a little sweet, an amazing dram!

The ribeye was a nice medium rare to medium – the perfect steak doneness if you ask me. Steak and whisky pairing is something that I had never done before. And the smokiness of the dram added more flavor to the chargrilled steak. Absolutely incredible!

And just another close up of the steak, because why not! It was delicious!!

3. A sweet treat and a dram

We finished off the evening with an “Illegal Gianduja” chocolate coin. Not sure what makes it illegal, but it’s pretty darn delicious! Gianduja is an Italian nougat, made from a mix of hazelnut and chocolate. Paired with cask G1.16, “Chardonnay flavoured white wine gums” – a single grain whisky (not single malt) hailing from the Lowlands. At 26 years, the oldest of our whiskies tonight, with still a heavy and respectable 61.9% ABV.

I’m a newbie to single grain whiskies. For those new to single grain whiskies, they hail from a single distillery (not a blend), and are made with barley and at least one other grain (usually wheat or corn). Because single grain whiskies are not made from malted barley, they’re typically a lighter bodied spirit. Perfect pairing, for say a dessert.

aaaand that’s it for my second food and whiskey pairing at Scotch Malt Whisky Society!

Parting Thoughts

I’m sure you can tell I had another incredible meal at the Scotch Malt Whisky Society. The chef is amazing, and the food is phenomenal. I also love the creative thought that goes into the food and whisky pairings! All in all, it was a great tasting hosted by Anthony!

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society member rooms have lunch, dinner, and bar snacks available regulary to pair with your drink of choice. They also regularly host food and whisky pairing events for both members and non-members. If you’re not a member, I’d highly recommend checking out some of their non-member events to test the waters and sample a fabulous meal.

If you enjoyed this post, here are some others you may like to read:

• If you’re looking into Scotch Malt Whisky Society membership, I’ve explained all the fun and exclusive benefits to membership;
• Get a jump on your tickets to The Gatherings at SMWS – a month long celebration of whisky and gatherings!
• If you missed the first in this series and are looking for a drool-worthy meal, try a 6 course tasting menu, with 6 corresponding whiskies;
• Curious about SMWS more experimental whisky casks?
• Looking for inspiration to do your own SMWS virtual tasting in style?
• What about a trip to Islay, Scotland’s whisky island;
• A guide on how to get to Islay from Glasgow.

Pin it for later!

Lannie

Lannie is a perpetual wanderer and loves to share her travel adventures and the food she eats along the way with everyone.  She works during the day while bouncing around the world and dreams about new places and faces at night!  She has a home on the magical Isle of Islay in Scotland, where the whisky flows freely and happily.

Click on the blue icons below to follow her on social media!

lanniesfoodandtravel.com/index.php/about-me/

This post will be the first in a series, highlighting the events that I attended with the Scotch Malt Whisky Society, during food and whisky pairing month.  There’s still a few events left in August, so hurry and sign up for them!  Most of the food and whisky pairing events are for both members and non-members alike (probably to reel in and delight those non-members!)  For those sad folks that can’t manage, don’t worry – there are delectable food options in the SMWS Member Rooms at all times, and your SMWS Ambassador will help you make a delicious pairing with their current outturn offerings. 

My attendance at these events were graciously gifted to me by the Scotch Malt Whisky Society, of which I am an affiliate.  That means, should you choose to sign up for a SMWS membership following this post, I will receive a small commission for that referral.  All opinions and delights in this post are my own and are not influenced by the gifted tastings.  Thank you, SMWS as always!

The first food and whisky pairing event I attended was hosted at SMWS Queen Street in Edinburgh.  Executive Head Chef James Freeman created an exquisite 6 course tasting menu, with each course paired with a SMWS whisky to enhance the whisky experience.  Most people I’ve spoken to consider whisky an after-dinner drink, often considering whisky during dinner to be too heavy.  While I wouldn’t suggest it for every night of the week, on certain special occasions, it can be just the thing.

Your typical food and whiskey pairings are charcuterie platters (meats and cheeses go nicely with heavy, rich whiskies) and chocolates or desserts, where the sweet flavors enhance the soft sweetness in the whiskies. But this? One whisky per meal course? Unheard of, and so decadent!

Before I begin on that evening’s frivolities, allow me to express my great thanks to:

• Logan, our delightful host for the evening,
• Our dinner companions, who added light-hearted laughter and color to the dinner;
• And my friend, Jenny, who joined as my plus one.

Without further ado:

The SMWS Food and Whisky Pairing Tasting Menu

The evening started out with some bread to pad the stomach of the many whiskies to come.  The bread, thematically sitting on barley grains, came with two types of butter – tomato and wild garlic and fennel herb.  When it came out, my friend said “I know which butter you’re going for.”  And it’s true.  Tell me something has garlic in it, and I’m all over it!  If a recipe calls for 1 clove, you gotta put in at least 4.  Anyway, I digress.  Don’t get too excited with the delicious bread and butter, because the first course is coming.

1st course: Torched Mackerel & a Highland

Torched Mackerel with purple potato, apple, compressed cucumber, horseradish buttermilk and dill

Contrapuntal Complementarities – 52.39 (Old Pulteney), a Highland whisky – aged 7 years, at 57.9% ABV

According to Logan, the mackerel had a “bitterness to it”, where the sweet and citrus of the whisky helped to balance out that flavor.

2nd course: Tomato & burrata, with a Speyside

Isle of Wight tomato with basil emulsion, burrata, baby courgettes and wild garlic

A bee swarm on holiday – 36.165 (Benrinnes), a Speyside whisky – aged 12 years, 57.7% ABV

Fruity, vanilla, warm with cloves – a perfect pairing with the light, freshness of a tomato basil salad. The tanginess of the tomato brought out the sweet notes of the whisky.

3rd course: Salmon & a 17 year Speyside

Roast fillet of Loch Duart Salmon, lobster and summer vegetable bisque with a lemon and caper relish

Fruits of the Florist – 7.232 (Longmorn), a Speyside whisky – aged 7 years, 59.1% ABV

By unanimous decision, everyone’s favorite whisky of the evening. A little spice, custard and creme brulee. According to logan, when paired with the salmon and capers, “brings out a weirdness in the whisky.” I dunno about “the weirdness”, but it was definitely everyone’s favorite.

4th course: Quail & a smoky Speyside

Roast quail with bargoule mousse, buckwheat emulsion, crispy potato gratin, chanterelle mushrooms and a redcurrant sauce

Pleasing Sweetness, Playful Heat 64.111 (Mannochmore), a Speyside whisky – aged 8 years, 55.5% ABV

To quote one of the dinner guests, “It doesn’t taste as bad as some of the peaty ones I’ve had!” Now, if that’s not a seal of approval, I don’t know what is.

5th course: Strawberries & autumn in the Highlands

Strawberry meringue with roasted strawberry sorbet, elderflower crème fraiche and strawberry salad

When autumn leaves start to fall – Society Cask (Dalmore), a Highland whisky, aged 13 years, 58% ABV

A second fill sherry cask, and then finished in a first fill bourbon cask for 1 year – what can I say? I love a sherry cask, and its sweetness always goes with a delectable dessert. The strawberry-centric dessert was light and refreshing, perfect for a summer evening!

6th course: Decadent chocolate cheesecake & a Highland whisky

Brillat Savarin & caramel chocolate cheesecake with a dark chocolate glaze, served with vanilla ice-cream.

Raisin cane – 55.4 (Loch Lomond -Inchmurrin), a Highland whisky, aged 19 years, 55.4% ABV

I think I was too many whiskies in to appreciate the last pairing. The whisky had wood characteristics (kind of like furniture polish), with a hint of sweetness and cloves. But that dessert!! I’m a chocolate fan, so everything about this spoke to me!

Parting Thoughts on SMWS Food and Whisky Tasting Menu

Coming into this evening, I wasn’t sure how it would pan out. A six course tasting menu – did that mean there were six whiskies too? (Why yes, it does!!) The Scotch Malt Whisky Society obviously delivers on the whisky front. There’s no question about that. But could it deliver on the food front? 100% YES. The quality of the food was phenomenal and absolutely delicious. The plating was stunning, too. As one of the dinner guests said with confidence, “I’ve never had a bad meal here.”

Now, about having one whisky per course… to be fair, you don’t have to do whisky pairings. One of the ladies in our group was not a whisky fan, so she chose to have wine pairings with it. But beware – if we have six whiskies, that means she had six wines!

What I’ve learned so far about food and whisky tastings. I’m not sure the whisky enhances the food. On the contrary though, the food definitely enhances the whisky. Sometimes on a first sip, the whisky can taste sharp – rough around the edges, if you will. By taking a bite of food in between sips of whisky, the whisky smooths out. Some of the more subtle flavors make an appearance and become bolder.

The cost of the dinner was 89£ per person, which doesn’t come cheap for a dinner. However, that was a 6 course meal with 6 whisky pairings. When you add it up like that, the food and whiskey pairings definitely become worth it! Not every night needs to have a decadent meal. But for that special night out, whisky fans, consider having a food and whisky pairing at Scotch Malt Whisky Society! The food I’ve tasted so far is exquisite, and the whisky – well, that goes without saying – phenomenal!

Jokingly, a dinner guest said, “The world could end tomorrow – this could be your last meal.” And while a little on the grim side, the better way to think of that is, carpe diem! Seize the day! Sometimes you just need to treat yourself to something exquisite, and that’s perfectly ok!

Thank you to the Scotch Malt Whisky Society for gifting me this incredible food and whisky pairing for 2! Remember, there’s at least 2 more events I’m writing about from different Member Room locations around the UK. So stay tuned for the rest of food and whisky pairing month from the Scotch Malt Whisky Society!

To learn more about Scotch Malt Whisky Society, check out my other posts:

• the exclusive benefits of SMWS membership
• a society cask tasting at the Glasgow Member Room
• an outdoor tasting adventure on the Three Distilleries Path.

Travelling from London or England? Come up to Edinburgh or Glasgow on an overnight sleeper train from London Euston. Arrive refreshed in the morning and all and ready for a whisky adventure!

Until then, take care, stay safe, and slainte mhath!

Pin it for later!

Lannie

Lannie is a perpetual wanderer and loves to share her travel adventures and the food she eats along the way with everyone.  She works during the day while bouncing around the world and dreams about new places and faces at night!  She has a home on the magical Isle of Islay in Scotland, where the whisky flows freely and happily.

Click on the blue icons below to follow her on social media!

lanniesfoodandtravel.com/index.php/about-me/