The aromas and flavours of whisky can be as varied as cheeses in the UK. Generally speaking, we recommend pairing peaty, spicy whiskies with smoky, meaty-textured cheeses. Smoked cheddars, aged sheep cheese and aged Goudas all create a big, bold whisky-cheese pairing experience.
Balanced blends and less smoky highland, Speyside and lowland whiskies tend to pair well with rich and nutty cheeses. Think Stiltons, aged Gruyere and Comté.
Our recommended pairing #1:
Caol Ila Distiller’s Edition neat with extra-aged Coolea, Montgomery Smoked Cheddar and Beenleigh Blue.
Why Coolea: This Gouda style cheese has a meaty texture and a slight tinge of sweetness. Paired with the Caol Ila Distiller’s edition, it balances the cinnamon and peaty notes of the whisky and, although hard to imagine, both the cheese and the whisky taste more interesting. We love the extra aged cheeses for their nutty crystallisation
Montgomery Smoked Cheddar: This oak smoked cheddar brings out tobacco the and peaty notes of the whisky, akin to pipe smoke at the hearth.
Beenleigh Blue: This Devon ewe's milk blue cheese has a bitter-sweet nutty taste rather like very dark chocolate, with tones of fenugreek and caramel. Its complexity complements the delicious Caol Ila Distiller's Edition. The metallic edge to the blue gives a tangy hit in the mouth.
Our recommended pairing #2:
Johnnie Walker Gold Label on the rocks with Lincolnshire Poacher Double Barrel and Cropwell Bishop Stilton cheeses.
Lincolnshire Poacher Double Barrel: This classic cheese has the richness and chewiness of an elegant Gruyere. Its caramel sweetness and nutty tanginess make each sip of Johnnie Walker Gold creamier than the last.
Bishop Stilton: This cheese’s structure, richness, metallic bite and deep meaty flavours provide welcome contrast to the dram. This is a classic whisky pairing cheese.
We recommend experimenting with a range of smoked cheddars, aged sheep cheese and aged Goudas, Stiltons, aged Gruyere and Comté and your favourite drams to find your preference.
