Which Foods Taste Best With Speyside Single Malts

Pairing food with whisky is a burgeoning interest finding more and more prevalence among both the veterans, and the new whiskyheads. Exploring the bottomless possibilities of flavours, aromas and textures inspires a sense of entertaining curiosity which a lot of people now love to indulge in.

Today, we delve deeper into understanding the perfect food pairings with Speyside single malts. When it comes to Scotch whisky, no other kind enjoys more success and adoration than Speyside single malts. Single malts from this region are so successful that the top three bestselling single malts whisky of the world belong to the Speyside region!

We shall be picking the five best Speyside single malts from some of the most revered distilleries in the region. With them, The Whiskypedia will be recommending the best possible food pairings in order to augment an activity we already love quite a lot. So let’s get started.

The Glenlivet 15 Year Old Whisky & Grilled Venison Steak

We begin with one of our favourite Speyside single malts, The Glenlivet 15, a double matured Scotch extraordinaire. The otherworldly influence of the French Limousin barrels gives it an almost breath-taking new conflation of flavours and aromas. Often cited as the quintessential Speyside single malt, The Glenlivet combine their best with a fantastic array of flavours and aromas by maturing the spirit in ex-Cognac barrels from France.

The resulting creamy, mouthwatering single malt is paired marvelously with a grilled venison steak, complementing the two experiences to create something even more complex. Even as a standalone dish, the smoky char and gamey flavours of the grilled venison are delicious, but with The Glenlivet 15 it is a sympony choir for our senses.

Longmorn Distiller’s Choice & Chocolate Dessert

It has often been described as one of the best no-age-statement single malts released in recent memory, and there is not much that can dispute the fact. If one set out to make the Longmorn Distiller’s Choice better, they would soon find it quite difficult. The luscious, fruity and creamy release from one of the Speyside’s most underrated distilleries is a star on our list of single malts to die for. Longmorn have set the bar really high for any of their future releases.

As far as food pairings are concerned, you could easily pair a single malt such as this one with a rich, decadent dark chocolate, we suggest you go for a chocolate flavoured dessert. Something like a chocolate mousse, or even a chocolate lava cake could do wonders for your whisky tasting experience. The texture and a gentle sweetness are the things that make the difference when pairing with a single malt like the Longmorn Distiller’s Choice.

Aberlour 12 Year Old & Artisanal Cheese

A heavily Sherried Speyside single malt, and one of The Whiskypedia’s top recommendations, the Aberlour 12 is simply heavenly. This is a full-bodied, sweet and spicy delight, matured in ex-American Bourbon and ex-Sherry barrels. Aberlour have some excellent double matured single malts, including another one of our favourites, the A’bunadh. While the A’bunadh is difficult to get your hands on, the 12 Year Old is no less a classic dram.

The ideal pairing for the Aberlour 12 Year Old would be artisanal cheese, which yields the best out of both delicious components. The Sherry influence on the Aberlour is most apparent, and the creamy umami goodness of artisanal cheese complements it perfectly. This lip-smacking pairing is one of our favourite choices, and we are certain you won’t having anything else for a long time.

Macallan Double Cask 12 Year Old & Filet Mignon

The Macallan range was recently restructured, compartmentalizing their expressions based on the type of cask maturation. The Double Cask range, unlike their Sherry and Triple Cask series, is a bit thinner with just two expressions in it. Yet there is enough in there to pull its weight in the form of the Double Cask 12 Year Old, a sweet, fruity delight.

Our choice of the most suitable food pairing with this 12 Year Old Speyside single malt is filet mignon, the succulent cut of meat that oozes flavour. Filet Mignon is a dish no stranger to being paired with whisky since one of its beloved sauces is prepared with whisky itself. The Aberlour 12 is paired best with a filet mignon, or if you prefer a slightly different cut of you can even opt for a ribeye.

Glenfiddich 12 Year Old & Seared Scallops

The Glenfiddich 12 Year Old is a light, refreshing single malt with sweet, fruity flavours and a wonderful smoothness. It is the catalyst of an overall pleasant drinking experience, tried and tested, having withstood the test of time as a favourite. It is the no-nonsense drink to rely upon if you find yourself at a bar with limited options, or when you don’t particularly have something in mind.

Now when you think about pairing a glass of Glenfiddich 12, seared scallops are the equivalent of a trusted option just like it. Scallops are a delicacy in many parts of the world, and are loved by a sizeable chunk of people for their taste. Akin to lobsters, their flavours are delicate, but quite tasty. The flavours of seared scallops complement a single malt such as Glenfiddich 12 very well.