A whisky for every occasion

Guinness UDV and the chefs at The Cape Grace put their brains and hearts together to show how easily whisky and gourmet food can be combined. In a world beset by problems and at a time when change is not always for the better, whisky remains a product that creates a sense of reassurance and well-being. It has been distilled and consumed with pleasure for hundreds of years and, despite the changing economic climate that has seen other optional purchases fall off the shopping list, whisky retains its popularity.

Last year was the third-best year ever for Scotch whisky exports. Reporting exports valued at £2,3-billion, the chairman of the Scotch Whisky Association, Ian Good, said the figures represented a "resilient performance in the face of tough global conditions."

Sold in more than 200 countries, Scotch whisky is the world's most widely known national product. No other single product from one source has crossed so many national borders. In terms of global acceptability and popularity whisky has no competitors.

Most whiskies sold are blended products that have been created by experts from as many as 40 or even more different whiskies produced in about 90 distilleries all over Scotland. They have created blends that have become some of the world's most recognised branded products, such as Johnnie Walker, Bell's and J&B that are sold and enjoyed all over the world.

However, part of the recent sustained success of whisky has been renewed interest in the single malt variety Ð the production of a single distillery. These are considered to be the ultimate sensation for for the ever-growing band of whisky lovers.

But the number and variety of whiskies and growing interest in them has the potential to create a new problem: confusion or a lack of understanding. This has led the uninitiated to say: "I don't like the taste of whisky." But the Scotch whisky industry collectively has compelling answers.

The first is that there is a whisky for every palate. Those who don't enjoy the taste of one brand, should try another and another till they find one in the hundreds of blends and single malts that appeals to their tastebuds. Everyone who has ever attended a whisky tasting will know that the difference in aroma and taste of whiskies from distilleries only a couple of kilometres apart can be astounding.

The second is education. This is a process that has been given new impetus in recent years by Guinness UDV, the South African arm of Diageo, the world's biggest drinks company. Its Best of Scotland campaign is working well on two fronts. Not only is it enhancing knowledge among existing whisky consumers, but it is also creating new interest and new consumers.

And there has been a surprisingly strong spin-off benefit. There is a burgeoning interest among men and women under the age of 30. This was obvious at a dinner in May at The Cape Grace Hotel in the V&A Waterfront.

Although the waterfront was also the venue for a wine tasting festival on the same evening, more than 100 mostly young whisky enthusiasts filled the one.waterfront restaurant in the hotel to learn more about whisky and experience how it can be matched with fine cuisine.

Most of them were young couples who read Food & Home Entertaining, a consumer magazine that focuses on chefs and food. They were joined by senior executives from Guinness UDV, including whisky category manager Rynard van der Westhuizen, Johnnie Walker marketing manager Lucien van Huyssteen and marketing manager Anton Twigg.

As a Keeper of the Quaich, Van der Westhuizen is a member of an exclusive international association of people recognized for their services to whisky. This makes him one of South Africa's leading experts on whisky but he left the talking to Twigg and Bruce Robertson, executive chef of one.waterfront, who explained and demonstrated how whisky and gourmet food combine.

Twigg highlighted the goals for the evening as having fun and learning that whisky could be combined with food, rather than being seen as something for special occasions or contemplative relaxation.

Robertson had little trouble creating an unusual menu that captivated the whisky enthusiasts and featured dishes inspired by elements of:

• Dalwhinnie, a single malt whisky;
• Black & White, a popular blended whisky in which Dalwhinnie is a constituent;
• Clynelish 14-year-old single malt from the Hidden Malts collection;
• Glen Elgin, another single malt from the Hidden Malts collection; and
• Johnnie Walker Gold, a deluxe blended whisky.

Among the guests at the dinner was Jean-Yves Muller, manager of the Cape Grace's Bascule whisky bar. So, in addition to being a showcase for whisky and the talents of Bruce Robertson, the evening presented an opportunity for the hotel to promote a facility that now offers more than 400 whiskies to connoisseurs from around the world.

Hotels and restaurants that wish to host whisky dinners or tastings should e-mail Mandy Henry at The College of Whisky: mandy@collegeofwhisky.co.za