Old Pulteney 12 Year Old – Perfectly Paired

By Old Pulteney

Renowned French whisky and culinary expert, Martine Nouet, created food pairings to accompany our most iconic expression – the 12 Year Old.

Renowned French whisky and culinary expert and our friend, Martine Nouet, has created food pairings to accompany our most iconic expression – Old Pulteney 12 Year Old. We are delighted with the results. Will you dare to try them at home?

Old Pulteney 12 Year Old

A good malty core with a fruity character, this whisky has a two distinct sides: head in a marine breeze and feet solidly anchored to the ground, stepping on straw. It displays an enticing warm farm-like profile, as a sort of farm whisky by the seaside… The nose opens on cereals (honeyed muesli and dry straw), followed by stone fruit powdered with vanilla sugar (apricot, peach). In the back, a distant marine note. The palate is smooth and malty with this light marine influence which gives a salty feel on the tongue. The finish is spicy and slightly nutty (toasted coconut). The whisky has matured in American oak, hence the vanilla and the coconut.

Savoury pairing

Surf and Turf : roasted salmon coated with toasted hazelnuts and spices, mashed potato enriched with fried crumbs of black pudding.

The salmon is rolled in a crust made with crushed oatcakes, toasted hazelnuts, and spices (black pepper, cinnamon, a pinch of cumin and the seeds of half a vanilla pod). It is baked in the oven. The black pudding is crumbled and fried in a non stick frying pan. It is then added to a smooth richly buttered mashed potato. A tasty tipSpray Old Pulteney 12 Year old on the salmon just as you take it out of the oven.

The surf and turf idea is a tribute to that dual character of Old Pulteney. The black pudding echoes the spiciness in the finish. The salmon flesh is smooth and rich (provided it is not overcooked) and matches the whisky texture. The crushed oatcakes make a bridge with the whisky malty flavours. A rich dish with a hint of warm and friendly rusticity.

Sweet pairing

A bakewell-style tart but with apricots instead of raspberries

It consists of a shortcrust pastry and filling made of ground almonds, sugar, butter and one egg. The shortcrust is partially precooked and normally, it is topped with raspberry jam. It will be replaced by a fresh apricot compote (unsweetened and slightly dried so that it does not soak the pastry)

This scrumptious dessert enhances the fruitiness of the whisky. The almond flavours bring out the malty sweetness. Again the butter – use salty butter – (of the pastry and of the filling) convey a feeling of palatable satisfaction.

For a lighter dessert – apricot blancmange, hazelnut crumble

Pour two spoonful of apricot compote in a glass, top with blancmange enhanced with vanilla. Make crumble in the oven (flour, oat flakes, sugar, butter, nuts) and add it on the blancmange before serving. The crumble will add a crunchy texture which will contrast with the smooth one of the blancmange. The apricot brings in a pleasant sour flavour.