On The Hunt for Whisky and Easter Eggs
As we start to say farewell to the long dark winter months and welcome in the spring with the first signs of the daffodils, minds start to wander towards Easter and feelings of new beginnings. So, to celebrate the occasion, what could be better than to match some Easter egg favourites with a dram or two of Scotch whisky?
Our, Senior Visitor Assistant, Lucy has had a look into some of the best pairings and has written up and snapped some of her top combinations, so read on to find out more!
When I first started at the Scotch Whisky Experience my whisky knowledge was more or less non-existent, however, over time, my eyes have been opened, my heart has been taken by its stories and I have discovered a love of trying whisky with different chocolates.
During my tastings and tours, I have learned that many visitors do not realise that whisky and chocolate can be a wonderful way to enhance, deepen and complement the delicate, subtle, complex and sometimes bold flavours found in Scotland’s whiskies. Thus, whenever I get the opportunity, I love to share my favourites.
So without further ado, let’s introduce some yummy Easter eggs with a complementing dram….
1. Terry’s Chocolate Orange Mini Eggs with Lindores MCDXCIV
First to wet the palate is a Lindores MCDXCIV with a handful of Terry’s Chocolate Orange Mini Eggs. Lindores is a young spirit with a beautiful zesty citrus touch which is enhanced and rounded by the orange note in the chocolate.
Lindores Distillery is found near the little town of Newburgh in Fife and the nearby Lindores Abbey is regarded as the spiritual home of Scotch Whisky. It was here in 1494 that the first written record was recorded.
2. Cadbury’s Mini Eggs with Tullibardine 228 (Burgundy Cask Finish)
The silky velvet mouthfeel and chocolate note achieved by the burgundy red wine cask finish of the Tullibardine 228 complements the smooth sugar coating and the slightly richer chocolate centre of several Cadbury’s Mini Eggs.
Tullibardine Distillery sits at the gateway to the Highlands in the town of Blackford. The distillery is situated on the site of Scotland’s oldest brewery and is where in 1488 King James IVs stopped for a beer before his coronation at Scone Palace.
3. Malteser Bunny with Old Pultney 12 year old
A Malteser Bunny is perfect for drawing out the more subtle honey notes found amongst the more prominent salty and maritime character of an Old Pultney 12 year old.
Pultney Distillery is found on the northern tip of Scotland in the town of Wick. The town is famous for being the only town in Scotland to experience prohibition for over 20 years, ending in 1952.
4. Kinder Surprise Eggs with Tomintoul 14 year old
As a child, a popular Easter egg favourite was a Kinder Surprise and this delightfully light milky chocolate complements the lovely creamy vanilla flavour and texture of a Tomintoul 14 year old.
Tomintoul Distillery was founded in 1964 and Tomintoul currently hold the world record for the largest bottle of Single Malt Scotch Whisky ever produced. It was a special bottling of Tomintoul 14 year old and contained 105.3 litres of whisky. That is 5,250 drams!
5. Lindt Dark Chocolate (60% Coco) Bunny with Ardbeg Wee Beastie
No whisky tasting is complete without a trip to Islay and a visit to a smoky malt. Ardbeg Wee Beastie with its intense smokiness and peppery note melts beautifully with a Lindt Dark Chocolate Bunny.
Ardbeg sits on the picturesque Isle of Islay on Scotland’s west coast and in 2014 vials of Ardbeg whisky together with shards of oak cask were launched into space and orbited the earth for 1,045 days. The Ardbeg Supernova was created as a commemorative bottling.
6. After Eight Mint Mini Eggs with a Laphroaig 10 year old
Lastly to tingle your taste buds is a Laphroaig 10 year old, with one or two After Eight Mint Mini Eggs. You might think that whisky and mint could be a weird combination, however the minty centre of the chocolate helps to deepen the smokiness and slight medicinal hint of this iconic dram.
Laphroaig also sits on Islay surrounded by a stunning coastline and was the first distillery in Scotland to appoint a female distillery manager, Bessie Williamson.
Hopefully this has whet everyone’s appetites to try out some whisky and chocolate matches this Easter and discover more about the wonderful world that is Scotch whisky. Slàinte Mhath 🙂
And a big thank you to Lucy for writing this blog and providing photographs!
Let us know if you have any other great whisky pairings, and don’t forget to head to our online shop to grab yourself some whisky and chocolate this Easter!