Bottled-up Flavours

For example,The Dalmore 15YO’s mandarin,vanilla,ginger and crushed apples’ flavours are combined with poached prawn salad with orange segments,star anis oil and rucola; The Dalmore 12YO,which has a very citrusy taste,is paired with braised lamb shank,basil and ginger risotto; homemade egg tagliatelle white wine quail ragout; and stuffed polenta with mushrooms and hazelnut,spinach,warm pear chutney and truffle essence for vegetarians.

Vikrant Vohra,director of operations at the hotel,says,“The aromas and flavours of whiskey make it as versatile as wine. Although it’s not usually the first choice for a food pairing,it’s intriguing to understand its flavours and blend them with food. Lowland whiskies (lighter Scottish varieties) go well with light flavoured foods,Island whiskies (single malt Scotch whiskies from islands around the Scottish mainland) with smoked fish,cheese and mild chili flavours,while Speyside whiskies (from the area around river Spey in Scotland) pair beautifully with smoked cheddar and blue cheese.” Hyatt Regency will soon host a Single Malt dinner. “The Japanese always combine whiskey with sushi. The whiskey-food experience is usually very personal and regional,” says Singh.

Rushina Munshaw Ghildiyal,a Mumbai-based food writer and consultant,serves sea food with lighter drinks like vodka,gin; pork with rum; lamb with whiskey or bourbons. “Vodka can take on any food,plus you have the advantage of flavours,” she says. With summer setting in and temperatures soaring,even beer is ideal to curb the ‘”masala’ness of food”,she adds. There are parameters to pair different cuisines with hard liquor but innumerable possibilities too.