9 ways to pair your whisky cocktails with food

Pair with: BBQ chicken wings
 
This iced tea cocktail recipe was made for sunny backyard sessions. So get the barbie on and turn up the tunes to set the scene for this summer serve.  Sweet, fresh and easy to make, it’s a pitcher perfect drink to whip up whilst the food’s cooking. We like ours with sticky chicken wings that compliment that sweetness.
 
Ingredients:

• 50 ml Ballantine’s 7 or Ballantine’s Finest whisky


• 70 ml Unsweetened Tea


• Soda Water


• 1tsp Sugar


• 1tsp Cane Syrup


• Lemon wedges


• Mint


• Ice

• Brew the unsweetened tea, add cane syrup and sugar, and allow to cool


• Fill glass with ice, lemon and mint.


• Add Ballantine’s whisky and tea then top with soda water.

Pair with: grilled steak
 
When it comes to whisky and food pairings, this one’s a classic. An Old Fashioned is a timeless drink. And a rich juicy steak is a can’t-go-wrong order. Pair the two and you get an epic combo of good ingredients served well. Make it your own way with an orange twist or peppery steak sauce. Trust us, this cocktail will be on repeat.

Pair with: iced ring doughnuts
 
Call it a pairing, call it a dessert. We don’t care – just make sure to try it. This Whisky Milkshake recipe mixes ice cream, cream and liquid chocolate with a kick of scotch. But that’s not all. Really, it’s all about the toppings. And what’s more extra than an iced ring doughnut? Sweetness on top of sweetness. That’s what this pairing’s all about.

Pair with: ginger shortbread cookies
 
If you like a hot toddy you’ll love this cocktail. Poured on the rocks, it’s a perfect serve for summer evenings and winter nights by the fire. The Honey and Cinnamon Highball has two main flavours in its name. But a pour of spiced ginger beer is what gives it extra kick. Serve with sugary, spiced shortbread for a sweet snack on the side.
 
Ingredients:

• 40ml Ballantine’s Finest Whisky


• 20ml Lemon Juice


• 10ml Cinnamon Syrup


• 2 Dashes Aromatic Bitters


• 1 Teaspoon of Honey


• 100ml Spicy Ginger Beer


• Cinnamon Sticks & Candied Ginger for Garnish

• Add all ingredients to a highball glass filled with ice.


• Stir gently to mix.


• Add the garnish & enjoy!

Pair with: a cheese board
 
Fruit and cheese have been a classic pairing for centuries. As have fruit and whisky. This pairing is what happens when we combine the three. Sweet Vestige is a sweet whisky cocktail with notes of fig, ginger and honey. So it’s an obvious choice to go alongside your next cheese night. Take sips between slices of Manchego or creamy Brie topped with fig.
 
Ingredients:

• 40ml Ballantine’s 30 Year Old Whisky


• 20ml Briottett Fig


• 3 drops Angostura Bitters


• 3 drops Ginger Bitters


• Fresh Ginger


• Blowtorched and Honeyed Fig

• Fill a rock glass with cubed ice and pour Ballantine’s 30 Year Old whisky.


• Add Briottett Fig liquor and stir.


• Add the bitters and garnish with fresh ginger and blowtorched and honeyed fig.

Pair with: takeaway pizza
 
Up your pizza and beer nights with Berry Beer. The sweet, tangy combo of lager, berries and Ballantine’s Finest whisky makes a satisfying sip between slices. Whether you’re pro pineapple or anti. What’ll be your order?
 
Ingredients:

• 50 ml Ballantine’s Finest Whisky


• 6 Blueberries


• 1 Seedless Lemon


• 1 tablespoon Honey


• 1 Lager/Light beer


• Berries for garnish


• Ice

• Add Blueberries to shaker and crush with muddler


• Add Ballantine’s, Lemon Juice and honey to shaker


• Fill shaker with ice and shake for 30 secs – 1min


• Strain into glass filled with ice and top with beer

Pair with: rich chocolate cake
 
If you like Black Forest you’ll love this whisky cocktail food pairing. Our take on a classic dessert sees a cherry twist on a whisky sour. AKA the Cherry Sour. Sweet, tart fruit blends with smooth scotch for an easy sipper. Flavours that go perfectly with your best chocolate cake recipe, the richer the better.

Pair with: smoked salmon bagels
 
A smoky twist on a classic cocktail. Our version of a Sazerac contains a simple mix of scotch, bitters and absinthe. Freshened with a twist of lemon. The richness and complexity of Ballantine’s 17 year old whisky pairs wonderfully with a lighter dish that lets the drink take centre stage. A classic duo; smoked salmon and cream cheese is just the ticket.
 
Ingredients:

• 50ml Ballantine’s 17 Year Old Whisky


• 30ml Peychaud’s Bitters


• 20ml Absinthe


• 10ml Simple Syrup


• 40ml Water


• Lemon


• Ice Garnish: Lemon Twist


• Food Pairing: Smoked salmon with lemon cream cheese and dill

• Cut the lemon into long, thin strips.


• Twist as much oil out of the lemon peel as possible before twisting into curls. Place them into ice moulds, fill with water and freeze overnight.


• Create a flavoured liquid by combining Peychaud’s bitters, absinthe and simple syrup to water.


• Place the cubes in the liquid or pour the liquid over the cubes to submerge and place back in the freezer for 24 hours.


• Place a single ice cube in a tumbler glass and add 50ml of Ballantine’s 17 Year Old whisky.


• Take your time to sip and savour. As the ice melts, it will accentuate the wonderful flavours of the whisky.