
The Whisky Pairing Guide
Elena Marchetti, Head of Curation · 6 min read
Chocolate, cheese, cigars and seafood — how to build pairings that flatter both sides of the plate.
Match weight, then contrast flavour
A delicate Lowland malt will vanish beside blue cheese. Match intensity first: heavy with heavy, light with light. Then create interest with contrast — smoke against sweetness.
Three pairings that always work
Islay peat with oysters and a squeeze of lemon. Sherried Speyside with 70% dark chocolate. High-rye bourbon with aged cheddar or pecan pie.
Serve at the right temperature
Cold mutes aroma. Serve whisky at room temperature and let food sit at room temperature too — both will show three times more character.
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Bottles to put the theory into practice
Speyside · Scotland
The Macallan 18 Year Old Sherry Oak
18 Years · 43% ABV · 700ml
Kentucky · USA
Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon
8 Years · 45% ABV · 750ml
Keep reading
Getting Started
Fundamentals
Tasting


