A couple of days ago, a friend asked for some advice. She needed to buy whisky as a gift but did not know where to start. Walking into a bottle store can be a daunting experience. The sheer volume of products available makes choosing tough.
My whisky goal is to collect a single malt whisky from every country that produces single malt whiskies. When an opportunity comes along to add a New Zealand whisky to my collection, I grab it with both hands. I have some whisky from Australia as well.
About two years ago, I read a blog post by one of my favourite food bloggers, Drizzle & Dip. It was a recipe for Sticky Chipotle BBQ ribs that she made on a Big Green Egg. It sounded so interesting, and after doing some research, I knew that this is the braai solution we have been looking for.
Today I am trying a whisky from the Scottish Highlands. A whisky that has won numerous awards and is a favourite of many people. I am looking a the Old Pulteney 21 year old single malt Scotch whisky.
Last Friday, some friends came over for our regular girls’ lunch. I wanted to spice things up and served an Indian curry lunch combined with a whisky pairing. Some research on the internet indicated that Indian food and whisky fit well together. Especially the more peaty whiskies, pair well with the spicy South Indian food.
I grew up with a dad who enjoyed blended whisky. His favourite drams were Dimple and Chivas Regal. This experience shaped the way I enjoyed whisky in my younger days, and I gravitated to blended whisky too. Then a friend poured me a Glenlivet 12 year old whisky and I was blown away.