What to Pair With Your Scotch for Dessert

November 17, 2012

You’re a person of distinction, and you enjoy a good whiskey for dessert. A good whiskey can unequivocally stand on its own, but being of distinction, you like to shuffle the deck every now and then. There are many excellent dessert compliments to your whiskey, and here are a few of our favorites.

For smokier whiskies:

Dark Chocolate
The bitter flavors of dark chocolate bring out the sweetness of a smokier whiskey, and enhance the flavor. In turn, the smoky whiskey adds robust flavoring and the punch of alcohol to the chocolate. Try both a grittier chocolate like Mast Brothers and a smoother chocolate like Green & Black’s.

Even Better: dark chocolate covered espresso beans.
The smoothness of the chocolate, the grittiness of the bean, the aroma of the whiskey. This is a magical combination. You can find them at Trader Joe’s and Ghirardelli also has one.

Pecan Maple Pie
Pie is great, and when pairing with an earthy scotch, we look to a pie with sweet, earthy flavors. The pecans give the nutty body, and the maple gives natural sweetness.

For fruitier whiskies:

Sliced Fresh Pears
Pears are the slightly tangy cousin of the more common apple, and that fruity tang makes all the difference with the strong flavors of a whiskey. Take care to choose a ripe and crisp pear, slice, and enjoy!

Cheese Plate
A good cheese plate is delectable and satisfying–like ice cream for adults. Your cheese plate should have at least three cheeses, and full-flavored cheeses will make a better pair with a whiskey. Here are some suggestions: Choose different cheeses that are within the same family, be it blue cheeses, gouda, or cheddar. Or, choose one cheese of cows milk, one of sheep’s milk, and one of goat’s milk. Also think about textures, and you could choose one soft cheese, one hard cheese, and one in the middle. Your local deli manager will be able to help.

What are your favorite dessert pairings? Let’s hear it below.