There has always been controversy over whether whiskey is a beverage that should be combined with food. And the prevailing opinion is that it is better to drink with an appetizer. Until recently, it was believed that whiskey should always be drunk clean, ie. without any food. Combining this drink with an appetizer seemed strange. Although it was common practice to drink appetizers in Europe and Asia, in the United States, whiskey is more likely to be drunk without food. To find the most suitable whiskey appetizer, you need to have a basic knowledge of the different types of your favorite amber drink. The taste of whiskey varies from light to very dense, sweet, fruity, citrus to a more complex and strong aroma with earthy, smoky notes. According to the taste, the food for the whiskey is chosen so that neither the appetizer nor the drink dominates and prevails. Rather, they should complement and increase the pleasure of drinking. For example, bourbon has a slight aroma of vanilla and caramel and therefore should be combined with foods containing caramelized ingredients. As a general rule, light whiskey goes well with seafood and spicy foods, medium whiskey goes well with meat, and thick whiskey goes great with more nutritious, high-fat dishes.
7 most suitable appetizers for whiskey
1. Dark chocolate Chocolate and whiskey go great together. Instead of choosing sweet milk chocolate, it is better to take a dark and bitter taste. Dark chocolate with orange flavor goes great with scotch because of the citrus flavor in scotch, which enhances that in chocolate. Pure dark chocolate is suitable for strong whiskey, and milk or one with the aroma of ginger and chili – for rye whiskey. Hazelnut chocolate goes well with single malt Scotch whiskey, and Americans’ favorite bourbon goes with almost all types of chocolate.
2. Cheese Whiskey and cheese have a lot in common. They need time to mature and are found in many varieties. That’s why the cheese goes well with whiskey. Matured cheddar cheese goes great with whiskey with a more smoky aroma. It is recommended to eat blue cheese with whiskey with a hotter taste. Soft cheeses such as brie and goat cheese are a nice appetizer for a light aromatic whiskey with hints of sweetness.
3. Dried fruits and nuts You will never go wrong if you drink whiskey with dried fruits and nuts. You can show more imagination in the combinations. Be careful which flavors of nuts and whiskey complement each other. Sweeter nuts go well with strong whiskey, while sweeter whiskey is suitable for more bitter nuts. The whiskey with smoky aroma is combined with well-roasted and salted nuts.
4. Grilled meat If you are preparing dinner and you are not sure what to serve for whiskey, you will not go wrong with grilled meat. This is always a good combination. The steaks go well with medium-density whiskeys. Whiskey with a deeper and smoky aroma is suitable for beef. If you are serving lighter meat, bourbon is a good choice.
5. Minced meat dishes All minced meat dishes are a suitable appetizer for strong whiskey with a rich aroma. The high alcohol content and spiciness of single malt Scotch or rye whiskey are combined with heavier, greasy dishes.
6. Smoked salmon Smoked salmon is a great appetizer for whiskey with a high rye content. The smoky aroma of salmon gives the bourbon a slightly spicy, fruity taste.
7. Apple Pie This dessert is combined with whiskey with a light aroma and a hint of sweetness. It can be served with American whiskey such as bourbon or one with a high rye content. The caramel aroma of bourbon emphasizes the taste of apple pie.
