Nikka Whisky with Food
Nikka Whisky Distilling, Hokkaido and Miyagi, Japan, www.nikka.com/eng
This is a Portfolio Spotlight of a slightly different sort, in that it’s not really about the whiskies so much as it’s about the pairings. Allow me to explain.
As anyone who reads my regular ‘Whisky with…’ column in Whisky Advocate will know, I am a passionate devotee of whisky and food pairings. (And the pairing of food with other spirits, as well, but that’s an entirely different matter.) However, all too often when I am invited to a whisky pairing dinner, usually by a whisky company trying to promote itself, many or all of the whisky components are counterintuitively served in cocktail form rather than on their own.
I kind of understand the rationale behind this, as distillery personnel worry that people might be overwhelmed by the power of straight whisky. But if you are promoting an event to whisky fans – and let’s face it, who else is going to buy a ticket to a whisky dinner? – it seems to me that you should want to put your best whisky foot forward, as it were. Further, with glass shape, dilution, and the temperature of the spirit, there are many ways in which to massage the character of a whisky to make even a cask-strength behemoth more approachable.
So against this backdrop of experience, last night I was invited by importer Woodman Wines & Spirits to a five course dinner at west Toronto’s Black Angus Steakhouse featuring expressions from Japan’s legendary Nikka Whisky, and to my great delight all the spirits were delivered with their accompanying course au naturale. Even better, the pairings ranged from very good to outstanding!
I made very few tasting notes on the whiskies themselves, partly because I was already quite familiar with all but one, but mostly because it was not the sort of setting conducive to such work. In place of whisky tasting notes, then, I present here my ratings of the pairings with a word or two about the flavour of the whiskies and what made the partnership work.
Course One: Sea Urchin Toast with Shizo and Lime, presented with Nikka Miyagikyo Single Malt
This was an almost perfect pairing, with the richness of the sea urchin bringing out the creaminess of the sherry cask influence, while the fruit, spice, and elegant touch of peat smoke in the whisky balanced and enhanced rather than overwhelmed the uni. The toast portion was quite small, as it was an appetizer, after all, but if I could have had three or four servings and a couple of ounces of the whisky, I would have been content for the night.
96 (Whisky price: $90-$96)
Course Two: Tempura-Fried Scallop with Scallion and Sesame Salad, presented with Nikka Taketsuru Pure Malt
In my view, tempura is the best way to serve scallops, and this was no exception. Unfortunately, while it is generally a soft and balanced whisky, the Taketsuru proved too much for the bivalve and was just a bit overwhelming. Happily, though, the salad was the perfect match for the whisky, the sesame in particular providing a deft accent to the malt.
86 (Whisky price: $75-$86)
The menu for the evening
Course Three: Muscovy Duck Breast with Soy, Ginger & Honey, Udon Noodle Salad, presented with Nikka Yoichi Single Malt
The duck was served rare, which is what made this such a lovely pairing, as the blood aspect of the fowl provided a minerality that anchored the bold character and moderate peatiness of the whisky. The udon was a nice touch, but this pairing was all about a marriage of duck and smoke.
95 (Whisky Price: $90-$97)
Course Four: Japanese A5 Strip Loin, Wasabi Croquette, Miso Demi-Glace, presented with Yoichi Single Malt 10 Year Old
As the 10 Year Old presents as a bolder, more concentrated version of the no age statement Yoichi, this would have been an excellent pairing if the steak had been rare or at least medium rare. But while I’m convinced it was presented as such, as it sat while we were presented with descriptions of both the whisky and the dish, it rested more to medium, which impacted negatively on the pairing. Whisky and steak were both still outstanding – I would love to spend more time with this highly allocated whisky! – but not quite as good together as I believe they could have been.
84 (Whisky Price: $190 and up, if you can find it)
Course Five: Japanese Style Cheesecake with Poached Lychee Nuts, presented with Nikka From the Barrel
I had high hopes for this pairing, as this Nikka is a particular favourite of mine, and sure enough it lived up to expectations. The citrus notes of the cheesecake really opened up the 51.4% alcohol whisky, bringing flavours to the fore that I had not previously encountered, while the whisky accented the dessert beautifully, controlling the sweetness and adding to the richness.
97 (Whisky Price: $64-$68)
And that, my friends, is how you do a whisky dinner!