Glenlivet.. the Riches of Salmon and Single Malt

Ah, so.. the Glenlivet Guardians meet again.

This time to savour its Single Malt Whisky, paired with some supremely sultry Salmon.

Chef Wai of Starhill’s Culinary Studio, presenting his prize possession! 

And as its name alludes, The Glenlivet Guardians’ Chapter is a tribute to The Guardians who have played a pivotal role in this chapter of one of the most historic labels in the world of whisky.

One of the worlds most recognised Scotch Whisky’s, Glenlivet is no stranger to drinkers of fine whisky, and most folk praise it for its elegant, subtle complexity. With obvious aromas of smoke, clover, honey and heather, you don’t have to be a genius to guess, that it would most probably pair famously well with the Smoked Salmon.

delicate, well balanced salmon tapas

First up, the Glenlivet 12yo had a soft smooth balance of sweet summer fruits and the floral notes of spring flowers. These paired well with tiny morsels of salmon starters, rolled around juicy vegetables or fruit cubes such as watermelon, cucumber or served as japanese sushi. Loved how the sweet fruit accentuated the floral notes of the whisky.

Lionel gives some opening remarks to the Guardians of Glenlivet..

A cut above the standard-issue 12yo, Glenlivet 15yo is finished, as the name suggests, in Limousin French Oak (the same kind that is used for many cognacs).  The nose was most definitely rich and oaked. There were notes of wood, toffee and with a well-balanced acidity. As an aftertaste,  there were nice traces of cinnamon and cloves and the final finish was long and dry with a hint of pepper.

This paired very well with the fresh Salmon that Chef Wai prepared for us on the spot. You can see the hungry guardians descending upon the fish like seagulls!

A malt whisky of unmistakable honey-rich maturity and depth. Glenlivet 18yo is the winner of 2 gold medals in the International Wine and Spirit Competition (I.W.S.C.) and remains one of the best-value expressions of sherried Speyside.

Chef Wai could not slice and dice the salmon fast enough!

The 18yo was definitely big and well-rounded. There are notes of sultanas, a touch of fudge, smoky with tannic oak. What I liked best was the super long and dry finish with lovely spicy oak notes.

Amazing simple yet effective seasoning of chives and some sort of ‘soil’ in the molecular vein. Incredibly tasty. This was the perfect pair for the full bodied 18yo.

And just when you thought you’d seen everything, dessert appears..

Chef Wai, ” Salmon Ice-cream, anybody?”

“Yes please”, we all chorus!

Salty, Smoky, yet sweet and creamy, the ice-cream really worked surprisingly well with the 18yo.

What a night, I had experienced something new, exciting and impressively delicious – great whisky paired with equally luxurious Salmon. And oh, hello Salmon ice-cream, my new addiction!