Did you know that you can pair your chocolate with whisky. As you catch up with friends while enjoying a fine bottle, think about nibbling on some creamy chocolate. However, there are a few things to adhere to before you decide to marry the two. These have come from a few years of mixing and matching and these are the pairings that work for me.

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Mix and Match Whisky and Chocolate

There are so many types of chocolates and there is also a labyrinth of whisk(e)ys to navigate. Pairing the two should not be an uphill task when you know what to do. The most interesting thing is that while whisky hints and flavours are primarily and dominantly registered on the nose, the chocolate flavours are registered on the mouth because of how the chocolate melts and coats the mouth and the texture. This is what makes the two to work together. Here are a few pairings that you will enjoy.

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Light/Delicate Whiskys with White Chocolate

Light whiskies have no peat and smoky overtones and they are great for beginners. They are normally very fruity and sweet. White chocolate is creamy and delicate and it would be a perfect pairing. This is excellent when the whisky is fruity or when it has honey overtones. If you are just getting started with whisky, try this pairing. This is also a recommendation for ladies who would not prefer potent drinks. You can get white chocolate from the supermarket and examples of light whiskies that you would go for are Cardhu 12 year old, Glenkinchie 12 Year Old, Glenfiddich 12 year Old and Glenlivet 12 Year old.

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Rich Delicate Whisky with Milk Chocolate

Rich delicate whiskies are those with flavour combinations like sweetness, richness, toffees and pine. These whiskies are perfect with milk chocolates because of how they complement the creamy flavours. Milk chocolates are creamier because of the milk fats and compounds and they have a rich and delicate flavour. An example of chocolate is Dairy Milk and whiskeys are Glenlivet 18 year old and Macallan Fine Oak 10 year Old. Another interesting pairing is milk chocolate with almonds and Macallan Sherry Oak 12 Year Old.

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Rich and Smoky Whisky with Dark Chocolate

Dark chocolate has very intense flavours and it should be paired with a whisky that is smoky and peaty. The level of smokiness of a whisky depends on the time barley is exposed to peat smoke during drying. Depending on the time it is exposed to the smoke, you get smokeless to smoky whisky. Peaty and smoky whiskies are very overwhelming for a beginner and this pairing is for a seasoned whisky drinker. This might be an interesting assault on your senses but it is worth it. Any dark chocolate from the supermarket would work while smoky whiskies include Lagavulin, Talisker, Ardberg, Laphroaig 16 Year Old, and Highland Park 12 year Old.

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Smooth Sweet Whisky with Dark Chocolate

If you love breaking the rules and charting your own course this is a pairing that you will enjoy. Sometimes, you may want the flavours of the whisky and chocolate to complement each other but not overpower each other. A rich chocolate can become more mellow when paired with a sweet tasting whisky like Jameson Irish Whiskey.

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This piece is strictly for wine education purposes and I do not encourage underage or irresponsible drinking. Sip Responsibly.

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