Scotch: Tasty to Drink but Delicious to Eat

Let’s face it. Cheese is a good time. In my opinion, it’s the perfect food. Scotch? It’s the ideal spirit worthy of the same attention and love. So what happens when both are combined into one? Well, if the constitution were amended to allow marriage with inanimate objects, you’d be staring at a blank screen and I’d be out shopping for a ring. However, until that day comes we should calm down and give cheese infused with whisky the love and attention it deserves. That’s why I’m not ashamed to admit I have fallen in love with Highland Chief Whisky Cheddar.

Highland Chief is the brainchild of the Inverloch cheese co creamery located on the peninsula of Kintyre Scotland. It’s a mature cow’s milk cheddar cheese infused with Laphroaig Scotch whisky. “We use this as it is so highly flavored,” explains cheese maker David Eaton. The small wheels of cheddar, known as cheese truckles, are covered in a wax coating locking in the cheddar-whisky goodness. This method was originally used to preserve cheese and prevent mold growth during transport.

The scotch aromas flood the senses once the wax is peeled revealing the pale orange cheese. Just like when you uncork a new bottle of good scotch for the first time. However, this isn’t just a good scotch. It’s Laphroaig, a whisky from the Islay region of Scotland noted for its intense and rich flavors. Islay is a beautiful island from Mother Nature’s tougher side. Think Mother Nature if she belonged to a biker gang. The shores are hard as nails with lots of rocky contours, inlets, jagged terrain, small lakes and streams.

The Scotch from the southern point of Islay is just as rugged. This whisky is famous for lots of peaty smoke, salty sea air and sweet wood from the Makers Mark barrels used for ageing. The end product is a cheese that’s very creamy in texture. A lot creamier than other mature cheddars I’ve enjoyed. It’s also smoky with the scotch flavor socking it to your taste buds at first bite. However, this fades as it spends time in your mouth with the wood smokiness of the cheddar replacing the whisky. It’s kind of like sipping scotch. The flavors evolve the longer it spends in your mouth. If a cheese could be considered fun to eat then this is the one – very enjoyable.

Highland Chief pairs naturally with a glass of scotch. The smoky cheddar brings out the fruitiness of the scotch creating balance. The cheese gently takes on the desirable characteristics of Laphroaig with lots of pleasant peat smoke. The sweet finish of both the whisky and the cheese is long so you get your money’s worth.

One of the big reasons why this cheese deserves love and attention is it can be paired with more than just one scotch. Afrim Pristine of Toronto’s Cheese Boutique helped simplify the process, “In terms of pairing cheese and whiskey, it’s hard to generalize, but you always use bigger, bolder more robust cheese, to go with the smoky, big flavor in whisky.” This cheese is vigorous enough to enjoy with whatever scotch you like. Just be warned, too much scotch and you may end up looking for an engagement ring for your wedge of Highland Chief.

Blair Phillips
Toronto Canada
blair_phillips@yahoo.com
Twitter: @Blair_Phillips