Pairing snacks with whiskey has long divided opinion. In the United States, eating alongside a glass of whisky was once seen as a bit odd, while in Asian and European countries it has always been the norm. These days, though, more Americans are warming up to the idea of snacking alongside their dram. Here is a selection of snacks that pair well with whiskey:
- Cheese: Whisky and cheese have a lot in common — both come in countless varieties and both improve with age. Cheese generally suits a smoky whisky well. Strong blue cheese stands up to spicier whiskeys, while a softer goat or brie cheese works better with lighter, slightly sweet whiskeys.
- Apple Pie or Apple Crumble: It might sound like an odd combination, but this dessert is delicious alongside a lightly fragranced, faintly sweet whiskey. American bourbons, with their high rye content and caramel notes, also pair well with it.
- Dark Chocolate: Whisky and chocolate complement each other extremely well. Go for a dark, slightly sour chocolate — the higher the quality, the better the result. It’s worth experimenting to find your own favourite combinations: dark chocolate with an orange note suits Scotch nicely thanks to the shared citrus character, while plain dark chocolate pairs well with stronger whiskeys. Rye whiskeys go nicely with milk chocolate, plain or with a hint of chilli or ginger, and single malt Scotch works well with salted hazelnut chocolate.
- Dried Fruits and Nuts: Pay attention to the flavour of the nuts you choose. Heavily roasted nuts suit smoky whiskeys, sweeter nuts suit stronger peaty whiskies, and bitter nuts suit sweeter whiskeys.
- Smoked Salmon: This pairs particularly well with high-rye whiskeys — the smoky flavour of the salmon brings out a fruitier, spicier side of the bourbon. The two flavours marry well together.
- Grilled Steak: A big, juicy piece of grilled steak is hard to go wrong with. Medium-bodied, rich whiskeys work especially well here, their smoky depth complementing the beef. The right pairing depends a bit on how you season the steak and how much fat you leave on it — a leaner cut, for example, tends to taste best alongside a bourbon-style whisky.
- Meatloaf: A hearty meatloaf topped with barbecue sauce pairs nicely with strong whiskeys. The spiciness and higher alcohol content of full-bodied whiskeys, such as a rye or single malt, suit fatty, rich dishes like this one.
Whiskey tastes even better paired with the right snack. You don’t need to be a whisky expert or a food connoisseur to get it right — experiment, have some fun, and you’ll soon find what works best for your own palate. This is just a starting point; there are plenty more pairings worth exploring if you want to keep digging into what goes best with whiskey.