Wine dinners are great aren’t they? You get to try different varietals and they compliment the food, even in some cases make it taste better! But if you really want to change things up try a whiskey pairing dinner.
Different types of whiskey are paired with each course. There were 2 whiskeys per course. Whew – that’s a lot. Now, I’m no whiskey aficianado, and really feel like a learned a lot. It is also terrific for those knowledgeable about whiskey as well because you can taste many rare kinds of whiskey that are not readily available to the public.
Course 1 – Irish Whiskey with Whiskey Cured salmon
Course 2 – Domestic Whiskey with Pulled Duck BBQ w/ Pomegranate Bourbon Sauce
We sampled both the Doc Holliday Rye produced right here in Georgia. However, the Breckenridge Bourbon Whiskey stole the show. The creamy vanilla / brown sugar / cinnamon was superb. Not surprisingly, this is one of the highest rated whiskies in the country. Little known fact: The high elevation (9600 ft) results in this whiskey tasting especially delicious.
Course 3 – Kentucky Whiskey with Chicken Fried Pork Belly w/ Pickled Mustard Seeds
How do you make pork belly even more gluttonous yummy? Deep fry it, of course! This was an indulgence, yet very delicious. I enjoyed the Blanton’s bourbon whiskey paired with this dish. It had a slight citrus-honey taste. Check out the bottle (pictured below). Each of their cork stoppers (8 total) are a horse and jockey in various stages of a race. In sequential order, the re-enact a race.
Course 4 – Wild Card (Rum) with Cobia with Kumquat Butter
As far as food, this was my favorite course, though all were incredibly wonderful. The perfectly cooked Cobia with just a tad of the Kumquat butter, just about melted in my mouth.
Course 5 – “Whisky” with Ribeye
Course 6 – Tennessee coffee with Chocolate Beignets w/ Whiskey Caramel Sauce and Bourbon Pecan Ice Cream
I’ve been to many beer and several spirit dinners and most don’t impress me. This was different. I came away feeling like I gained insight into the whiskey making process AND now have another reason to visit my stepdaughter in Milledgeville (a whiskey distillery).
You should plan on spending a good chunk of your evening there. We had a bit later start than was expected and didn’t leave ’til well after 10 pm. Cinebistro invited me to attend for a complimentary dinner but the opinions expressed are my own. Kudos to my hubby, Glen, for the superb pics.
