Whisky and food pairing guide: cupcakes

When you think of food and whisky pairings, cheese, chocolate and meat may come to mind, but cupcakes? Elements of Islay international brand ambassador Mariella Romano hosted a whisky and cupcake evening for our Covent Garden shop’s Ladies Night tasting.

Mariella Romano from Elements of Islay was our guide for the evening

Believe it or not, those bundles of spongy, iced goodness are a very good match with whisky. Mariella paired a variety of cupcakes with Elements of Islay whiskies, a range of single malts from Islay packaged in laboratory-like bottles. This is what we tried:

Elements of Islay Br6 with pistachio

With a core line of vanilla running through this Bruichladdich whisky, the pistachio was a harmonious, nutty accompaniment. The spicy and fruity notes in this whisky were well balanced alongside the savoury notes that the pistachio bought to this partnership. Definitely a pairing for people who enjoy the savoury side of life.

Elements of Islay Ma1 with Peanut Butter & Jelly

As Bunnahabhain’s heavily peated sister, Margadale needs something sweet to accompany it, so what better than the good old-fashioned American staple: peanut butter and jelly. The cream and acidity of the cupcake cut through the smoke but also created a creamy, luscious pairing.

Cupcakes and whisky – not the most obvious match, but it works!

Elements of Islay Peat Full Proof with Lemon Meringue

Lemon meringue pie is one of my favourite desserts, so I was looking forward to this one. The cupcake had a dollop of meringue on top and lemon infused throughout the sponge, with the citrus cutting through the highly smoky Peat. My favourite pairing!

Elements of Islay Bw4 with Lamington

Lamingtons are traditional Australian cakes made from squares of sponge coated in chocolate and rolled in coconut. I hadn’t tried them before but they worked really well with the tropical Bowmore in glass number four. The coconut topping enriched the pineapple and mango, culminating in a smoky finish – a match made in Caribbean heaven.

Elements of Islay Lp7 with Nutella

What goes well with chocolate? Salt. The smoky Laphroaig with notes of seaweed and salt was teamed up with nutty and creamy chocolate. The medicinal quality of the whisky needs a rich flavour to balance it out and the Nutella cupcake was the perfect partner.

Elements of Islay Oc3 with Red Velvet

Oc3, an Octomore, was the smokiest whisky we tried. The red-velvet cupcakes offered silky-smooth, rich flavours which really held their own against the waves of smoke. Rather than fighting the smoke, the cupcake worked really well with it, creating a beautiful pairing.

I would highly recommend anyone to get out of their comfort zone and try some cupcakes next time they pour a dram. People are becoming ever more adventurous and I really believe that whisky and food pairing will be in the same position as wine and food matching in a few years – watch this space.

GlenDronach Cask Strength Batch 6

Our malt of the month for June is from the stunning cask strength series from GlenDronach distillery. Already priced extremely well, we’re now offering a further £4 off Batch 6, until the end of the month…

BUY NOW

Macallan 12 Year Old Sherry Oak

This is the modern interpretation of the Macallan style for which the distillery is so well known – refined, rich, and rounded with plenty of sherry cask influence. Very definitely a dram to be enjoyed with friends.

£55 Buy Now Was £70

Ralfy uncovers a young affordable age-stated affordable malt with Ralfy Review 659 – Kilkerran 8yo @ 56.2%vol

Taste Skye Under The Moon this August

The Birmingham Whisky Club has teamed up with Birmingham Museums, Talisker Whisky and artist Luke Jerram to present a unique lunar inspired whisky tasting experience this August.

Being held at Thinktank Birmingham Science Museum, this event will give the whisky curious an opportunity to taste through six amazing Talisker drams, with the line-up being valued at over £800. Guests will be led through the tasting by renowned whisky expert and Diageo Reserve Whisky Ambassador, Colin Dunn.

This event is being held as part of the ‘Museum Of The Moon’ national tour (landing in Birmingham from 21st July) and gives attendees an exclusive chance to enjoy the installation whilst the museum is closed to the general public. Measuring seven metres in diameter, the installation is a fusion of lunar imagery, moonlight and surround sound musical composition created by BAFTA and Ivor Novello award-winning composer Dan Jones. Created by artist Luke Jerram, the installation uses detailed imagery from NASA of the lunar surface to create a scale replica of the moon (approximate scale of 1:500,000).

Colin Dunn, Diageo Reserve Whisky Ambassador said: “We are really excited to be working with The Birmingham Whisky Club to present this fantastic line up of whiskies in such an exceptional setting.

Talisker is the only Single Malt Whisky on the shores of the Isle of Skye, one of the most remote, yet beautiful landscapes in Scotland. I hope that presenting these whiskies alongside the moon will evoke the tidal and rugged landscape of where they’re produced and take the audience on a journey to Scotland as they taste through the selection.”

Amy Seton, Owner of The Birmingham Whisky Club said: “We are delighted to be working with Luke Jerram to showcase these amazing whiskies in an unusual and creative way. We look forward to welcoming Colin to Birmingham for this extraordinary tasting event.”

The exclusive screening and tasting will be held on Saturday 5^th August 2017 and there are two time slots to choose from (5:30pm – 7:00pm or 8:00pm – 9:30pm). Tickets can be purchased here. Prices start at £30 and include an expert led tasting through six different whiskies. Discounted tickets are available for members of the Birmingham Museums Trust and The Birmingham Whisky Club.

The Birmingham Whisky Club runs ‘dram-atically’ different events with whisk(e)y from all around the world for whisky lovers old and new. The event will be the organisers third collaboration with Birmingham Museums.

Notes

For information about The Birmingham Whisky Club please visit thebirminghamwhiskyclub.co.uk or contact Amy Seton on 07966 266511 or email Vicky@birminghamwhiskyclub.co.uk.

About The Birmingham Whisky Club

The Birmingham Whisky Club is Birmingham’s only dedicated whisky tasting events company. We offer a diverse range of tutored tastings and whisky-themed events in and around Birmingham, including themed and rare whisky night’s, events with distilleries, whisky and food matching, and private and corporate events. We welcome everyone, from complete beginners to the more hardened whisky buff.

Visit our webpage http://www.thebirminghamwhiskyclub.co.uk/ or find us on Facebook. 

About Museum of the Moon and Luke Jerram  

www.my-moon.org

Museum of the Moon is a new touring artwork by UK artist Luke Jerram.

Luke Jerram’s multidisciplinary practice involves the creation of sculptures, installations and live arts projects. Living in the UK but working internationally for 20 years, Jerram has created a number of extraordinary art projects which have excited and inspired people around the globe. Jerram has a set of different narratives that make up his practice which are developing in parallel with one another. He is known worldwide for his large scale public artworks.

In Birmingham he has previously presented his world famous installation Play Me I’m Yours with dozens of pianos distributed across the city to play. His hot air balloon artwork Sky Orchestra launched from the Think Tank in collaboration with the Fierce Festival. The Think Tank also hosted his Dream Concert back in 2005. www.lukejerram.com

For more information on Thinktank and Birmingham Museums, visit their website.

Choosing the perfect single malt gift for Father’s Day can be a daunting task, but with no gift wrapping required, Jura’s new special edition bottles of Origin and Superstition make that decision all the easier. Each bottle is illustrated with the flavour notes that can be found within, making it all the easier to navigate the world of whisky and select that essential gift for your Dad this Father’s Day.

Known for producing a light and delicate spirit thanks to its tall stills, maturation in the sea air and careful selection of  the finest woods; Jura Origin & Jura Superstition offer something to suit all palates. Whether it be the refined flavours of honey, citrus peel and toffee of Jura Origin, which has spent 10 years in American White Oak Ex-bourbon barrels, or the lightly peated Superstition that has notes of honey, spice, peat and pine– we’ve even included a handy gift tag with each bottle to save you the trouble…

Each special edition bottle includes the chance to win a trip to Jura with your dad – a chance to discover the different sides of our unique Scottish island for yourself. Simply enter the promotional code found on each pack on our website. Good luck, and happy Father’s Day,

Everyone at the Jura Distillery

1989 Linkwood 27 Year Old “John Milroy” K&L Exclusive Single Barrel Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml) (Elsewhere $250) ($149.99)

The Linkwood distillery is one of the crown jewel’s in the Diageo portfolio. The distillery was originally constructed in 1821 and licensed in 1825 making it one of Speysides oldest. Much like Clynelish, in the 1970s a second distillery was erected next door and the original distillery shuttered in 1985. Today the washbacks from both distilleries are still in use, but the stills at the “old” Linkwood are silent. It remains highly prized for blending because it offers a wonderful balance between rich fruit and bold malt. Here we have a stupendous single cask, this one well into its third decade of maturation. It’s extremely rare to see Linkwood at this age, Linkwood above 25 years old becomes an absolute rarity. That’s why we had no problem selling a similarly aged Linkwood from Signatory for $200 not long ago. The style here is ultra classic aromas of baked apples, fresh bartlett pear, earthy malt, and subtle vanilla. On the palate the richness is impressive, the natural result of incredible concentration over nearly three decades. While this is a relatively low abv cask strength it remains incredibly full and textured. On the palate, big fudge cocoa elements pop up around sweet vanillas, subtle antique wood notes and rich orchard fruits. The perfect balance between sweet fruit, malty richness and exotic savory qualities. This is one of those no brainer whiskies for people who really care about complexity over power. No more than the tiniest drop of water for this one.

Anthony Russo | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: May 20, 2017

This Linkwood has an awesome, and very unique, “old wood” aroma that instantly makes your head spin (in a GREAT way). Beautiful and muted citrus zest, dark molasses, and a faint musky undertone round this scotch out. With loads of complexities and a great mouthfeel, the easy-going alcohol content make this juice go down nice and smooth. Grassy notes on the palate truly give this Scotch a sense of place. Settle into the couch after dinner with a glass of this.

Jeffrey Jones | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: May 18, 2017

I always look forward to getting a bottling from Linkwood because Linkwood usually offers both good aromatics and great flavors. This bottling from John Milroy has an expressive and pronounced nose of honey and beeswax. In the mouth it is juicy with light and pretty notes of honey and a delicious finish. I tasted this offering with no additional water.

David Othenin-Girard | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: March 21, 2017

Here is some really old whisky from a great hard to find distillery for a wonderful price. The nose is all fudge, fruit, and sweet malt. Please don’t add more than the tiniest drop of water (if that) as it’s naturally down to near 90 proof. It must have been in a very humid part of the warehouse. Some air and we start to get baking bread, whiffs of marmalade and old exotic wood. The palate is ultra buttery in texture, luscious and fruit forward. A stupendously drinkable old malt that remains fresh and ultra balanced despite the intense age. A total treat to find such old wonderful whisky at this spectacular price.

Membership & 112.14 Offer

‘Funky, feisty and youthful’, three words that a friend or loved one may be over the moon to hear. We’re offering Society membership plus this sweet, fruity and mellow 8-year-old whisky for only £80. The perfect gift for the fun-loving whisky enthusiast, especially with Father’s Day on Sunday.

VIEW OFFER

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, The Vaults, 87 Giles Street, Leith EH6 6BZ

Contact: sales@smws.com or call 0131 555 2929 (Mon-Fri 9am-4.45pm). Visit the Society at here for membership information

This is your chance to join and to take advantage of their great offers!

Spot the SMWS bottles in this amusing You Tube video

Ralfy examines versions of an Islay malt with Ralfy Review 658 – Caol Ila 2003 @46%vol (G&MacP)

Feis Ile 2017 – Islay Festival Photo Gallery

We’re back from the Islay Festival of Music and Malt, after a successful week of pouring whisky, meeting old friends and making new ones. The Whisky Exchange Islay Pop-up Bar was a success, with hundreds of old and rare drams poured, drunk and enthusiastically raved about. All going to plan, you’ll see us back next year.