5 Expert Tips For Pairing Charcuterie Ingredients With Whisky

Building pretty charcuterie boards with aesthetic collections of cheese and piles of meat isn't just meant for wine nights. We spoke to whisky enthusiast Markos Priftis, owner and master bartender at Ham on Rye in Greece, who has encouraged us to start pairing our next at-home whisky tasting with a few key snacks. Before opening Ham on Rye, Priftis clocked in over a decade serving up single malts at one of Athens' top bars. "Whisky is not the king of spirits by chance," Priftis quips. 

While whisky (not to be confused with whiskey) was once separated according to geography, Priftis recommends considering whiskies according to tasting profile, not necessarily the place where each one comes from. "The preparation method chosen by the master distiller and the master blender is unique for each label," he guides, before offering Speyside Distillery as an example. 

The distillery produces two different kinds of 10-year-old single malts, one that is peated and another that is unpeated. Whether you're wanting to try labels that offer sweeter notes of fruit or caramel or pour punchier glasses of peat, tobacco, or smoke, the right compilation of foods can help highlight some of the special whisky tasting notes found in each dram. 

When preparing to pair whisky with specific foods, Markos Priftis categorizes whisky according to tasting notes and flavors. Fruits and spices, round and rich labels, fragrant and floral drams, malty and dry pours, and smoky and peaty bottles can offer different tasting experiences for whisky connoisseurs to sample. For whiskies that present fruitier and spiced notes, Priftis recommends serving flights of this liquid gold with white, fleshy fruit like pears and highlighting the spices and roundness of this type of whiskey with specialty cheeses and hearty crackers. 

Pour Old Pulteney 12 to serve with oat crackers, for example, lemon curd and Italy's oldest creamy, stinky cheese, Gorgonzola, to bring out the tasting notes of the booze. Creamy, decadent Gorgonzola Dolce offers a milky umami flavor that can emphasize nutty notes found in a single malt like Old Pulteney 12. These drams can be sweet on the nose, opening up to a palate of honey and vanilla that can be approachable to even entry-level whisky drinkers. A dollop of homemade lemon curd on top of an oat cracker coated in cheese will deliver zingy brightness to the spread and refresh palates in between each sip.

Rich and round flavors in whiskies are often derived from a distiller's choice to finish their spirits in casks that have housed the Spanish fortified wine sherry – such as Pedro Ximénez sherry and oloroso sherry — or port. Sherry cask whiskies are known to be warm and rich, and Markos Priftis guides that these whiskies have a reliable reputation of offering flavorful, complex waves of dried fruits, such as apricots and raisins, cereal, and sweeter notes of dark chocolate and honey. 

A dram of GlenAllachie 12 presented with pieces of aged Gouda and types of chocolate meant for dipping can send palates close to heaven, he offers. Both whisky connoisseurs and novices alike can appreciate the smooth, rich palate that the GlenAllachie 12 provides. When offered with luscious, smooth couverture chocolate and types of cheese like chunks of sweeter aged Gouda, this is a dreamy combination that may have you and your guests wondering if such a presentation is simply dessert in disguise.

Markos Priftis looks to match fragrant and floral whiskies with contrasting flavors. He suggests coaxing out sweeter notes with stacks of cold cuts and pieces of raw fish. Fragrant, floral whiskies are usually made with some sort of special distillation technique, he advises, and the barrels used to make these kinds of whiskies have often housed bourbon or red wine before the whisky is poured into the barrel to age. This particular distinction can be played up strategically with the right food pairings. 

Priftis encourages whisky-loving hosts to sample drams of Glen Grant 10 alongside ceviche or creatively plated pieces of prosciutto that is served with cubes of ripe melon. Glen Grant 10 is a single malt known for fruitier tasting notes that are easy on the palate, and the taste of sweet butterscotch opens to an extensive finish. When paired with fresh, meaty bites, a classic label like The Glen Grant can shine and come to life. 

Whiskies known for malty and dry tasting notes are made through a combination of distillation, raw materials, and maturation in barrels that were used to store bourbon or fortified wine. Markos Priftis recommends choosing foods that present more dominant flavors, like the ones found in cereals, wine, and fatty animal products, to pair with these kinds of malty labels. 

Single malt Auchentoshan 12, a smooth type of Scotch whisky known for its sweet palate that delivers whispers of tangerine and lime before ending with a dry finish, can be matched with luxurious slabs of foie gras, platters of salty cookies, and crunchy bâton salé. These slender pieces of buttery French bread are ideal for party hosting and can be enhanced with caraway or cumin seeds. 

Rich, buttery foie gras, satisfying bites of cookies (like shortbread cookies, which are ideal for pairing with whisky), and crispy bread served with a malty dram is the kind of gratifying gastronomic presentation that is sure to leave no craving unaddressed — and perhaps even convert a whisky skeptic.

If anyone knows about sending guests home with full bellies and in joyful spirits, it is Markos Priftis. For hosts wanting to double down on all things satisfying and indulgent or those who are simply looking to impress a special someone, Priftis adds that a juicy cut of grilled steak can perfectly complement smokier and peatier whiskies. Steak and peated whisky makes for the kind of finish that can round out a whisky tasting experience and will make sure that your friends leave your event happy and content. 

Sometimes, even simple moments call for celebration, however, and Priftis gives whisky drinkers full permission to enjoy refreshing revelry by encouraging the sampling of whisky along with other alcoholic beverages. According to Priftis, whisky tasting doesn't need to stay limited to just one kind of booze. Smoky and peaty whisky drams can be exceptionally delicious when enjoyed alongside freshly poured IPAs or servings of sherry wines, such as Pedro Ximénez sherry. Keeping these kinds of recommendations in mind, you'll have as close of a guarantee that we can offer that your next whisky tasting night will be a raving success.