When whisky and coffee pair beautifully
MANILA, Philippines — Yes, coffee makes perfect pairing sense with whisky — not just in Irish whisky, but as a side-by-side flavor experience.
We learned this firsthand at a special tasting session held by The Macallan to mark their second limited edition of single malts. Held at the Grand Pavilion of the Grand Hyatt BGC, Macallan brand ambassador Hans Eckstein and local Good Cup Coffee Company CEO Gio Visitacion guided us through a coffee and whisky pairing that was all about parallels.
A video showed us how Macallan whisky maker Steven Bremner created his two new expressions — The Macallan Harmony Collection Inspired by Intense Arabica, and The Macallan Harmony Collection Smooth Arabica. First, gather world-renowned coffee experts at The Macallan Estate in Speyside to sample flavors, focus on coffee notes and try to capture those expressions.
Next, instead of the standard ex-bourbon barrels, The Macallan uses sherry-seasoned American and European oak casks for short aging, adding sweeter and softer vanilla notes for a more balanced finish that echoes coffee tastes. “In your mind, you’re already drinking the coffee that it was inspired by,” he says in the video.
Inspired by Intense Arabica is reminiscent of a sweet-yet-strong espresso coffee and has a higher ABV of 44%, while Smooth Arabica conveys the flavors of a gently spiced and soft Americano with an ABV of 40%.
Eckstein and Visitacion pointed out more similarities between coffee and whisky: how careful cupping and sipping can release different flavor layers; how the finish of whisky and the aftertaste of coffee can be key; and how roasting coffee beans is similar to the way malting of barley brings out unique expressions.
After grinding our own beans selected from various regions of Ethiopia (the birthplace of coffee), we waited for the onsite brewing and then slurped our hot cup with a spoon (a bowl of unsalted popcorn nearby as a kind of palate neutralizer), followed by an indulgent nosing of the Inspired by Intense Arabica whisky in a tall glencairn. We did pick up hints of vanilla and a gentle tiramisu flavor; some sweet oak notes slowly emerged as well.
A swirl of the precious ember over the palate released more vanilla; an intensity that (with a little imagination) you could associate with espresso; and some lovely dried fruit flavors, such as raisins and berries. A drop of water brings out more floral hints of jasmine, orange blossom and apricot.
It is quite pleasant to experience the flavor of coffee, whether cold or hot, mix and exchange across the palate with modest sips of whisky. Moderation is the key here.
Precious though it is, The Macallan Harmony Edition II is not aged, per se. (Eckstein calls it a “character-led” expression.) Instead, it’s being released in very limited batches worldwide this March, soon to hit your select distributors at around P30,820 SRP per bottle.
The thing that builds mystique about certain whisky editions is scarcity, and The Macallan is a master at this, seizing on a certain avid market for very precious things.
The Harmony Collection began with the release of Rich Cacao last year, followed by Fine Cacao earlier this year, which both incorporated discarded husks from cacao pods in their packaging and offered distinctive chocolate flavor profiles.
The paper-like packaging for this edition, we’re told, is 100-percent recyclable — made from discarded silverskins, the thin inner skin of coffee beans removed after roasting, and designed by Italian paper expert Michelle Posocco.
To further the sustainability message, we were offered basil and mint plants to take home from local Gourmet Farms, which uses discarded silverskins — high in nitrogen — as a natural fertilizer. From crop to cup, and back to the earth again. Every drop precious.
* * *
For further information visit https://www.themacallan.com.
