Whisky and Appenzeller Cheese

For World Whisky day, I planned a whole whisky inspired menu. From a cocktail made with Tomintoul 10 yo whisky, whisky infused chicken to a whisky cheese pairing. I wanted to celebrate whisky from around the world.  The chicken was infused with a Bain’s whisky marinade, and for the whisky cheese pairing, I chose the Paul John Classic Cask Select whisky and Appenzeller cheese.

When I do a whisky cheese pairing, I usually start with the cheese first and then look at what whisky will work with the cheese. This time, I chose the whisky first and then went to find a cheese that works.

The cheese I chose was an Appenzeller full fat semi-hard cheese from Switzerland. Appenzeller has a documented history of at least 700 years. Today, about 75 dairies produce it, each with a different recipe for their brine wash.

I chose this cheese because of the smooth texture and fruity, nutty flavours. The Appenzeller was only aged for around 3-4 months, so it is quite young with mild spicy notes. Made from cow’s milk this hard cheese is produced in the Appenzell region of Switzerland.

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A herbal brine, sometimes incorporating wine or cider, is applied to the wheels of cheese while they cure, which flavours and preserves the cheese while promoting the formation of a rind.

After the weekend, there was still some cheese left. The pairing with the Paul John whisky was delicious, but I wanted to try a few more whisky and Appenzeller cheese pairings. So I grabbed a few more bottles of whisky and started experimenting. This is one of the loveliest cheeses to pair with whisky. Any of the medium-bodied, sweeter style whiskies should pair well with this cheese.

Whisky and Appenzeller Cheese Pairings

Santis Malt Alpstein Edition No 7 Whisky

What grows together, goes together. The first whisky I wanted to pair with this cheese was something from the same region in Switzerland. The Locher brewery has been owned and run by the Locher family for five generations. Situated in Appenzell, close to Liechtenstein, they have produced beer and spirits for more than 100 years.

The Alpstein Edition no 7 whisky matured first in some Old Oak Beer Casks and was finished for two years in Sherry Casks. My tasting notes for this world whisky release included notes of sherry, fresh fruits and vanilla. There are some very unusual crème brûlée notes that soften when you add water.

What a great pairing. The combination is creamy and soft and brings more fruit out in the whisky. The Santis Malts works perfectly with this cheese, and I gave it a RATING: 4.5 /5

Paul John Classic Cask Select Whisky

My tasting notes for this Indian release include hints of freshly baked apple pie sprinkled with cinnamon sugar, barley, faint hints of vanilla and candied fruits. The  Paul John Classic Cask Select whisky has the perfect balance between spice and sweetness.

Another great pairing. The cheese brought more wood out of the whisky and enriched the spiciness. It created a rich, delicious experience. I give this pairing a RATING: 4/5

Dewar’s 15 yo Blended Whisky

A great affordable blend, this Dewar’s 15 yo Monarch whisky has notes of fresh fruit salad with apples, melons and pears, honey nicely balanced with oak spices, orange peel, wood, and vanilla.

Easy drinking and rewarding this is a great whisky to pair with cheese. And it worked so well with the Appenzeller. The whisky cut through the butteriness of the cheese and created an enjoyable experience. RATING: 4/5

Cardhu 12 yo Whisky

This Speyside classic is full of honey sweetness, malt, fruits with hints of vanilla. Toasted dry oak, ripe pears, honey, toffee apples and pepper with faint hints of vanilla. Pairing the Cardhu 12 yo whisky with the cheese created a more fruity whisky drinking experience.

The Appenzeller also brought more wood out of the whisky and the whisky enhanced the buttery creaminess of the cheese.  Another great pairing.  RATING: 4/5

A very successful pairing experiment. This cheese will probably not stand up to a smoky, peaty Islay or Highland dram, but for Speyside (and softer world whisky) drams, this is perfect. Have you paired this great cheese with any whisky? What did you think?

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