Angad Singh Gandhi shares a few trends that are going to dominate the industry and some interesting food pairings to try out with your whisky
Whisky has been an innate part of our lives for decades. While last year saw a dramatic shift in the spirits world with more home consumption and lesser venturing out, there are a few trends that have emerged and will amplify this year. So here is what we predict the whisky world will swirl and sip in 2021:
Sustainable innovations will be on the radar: The current pandemic and growing concern for the environment has given rise to a more conscious consumer and producer base. From eco-friendly packaging to sustainable hospitality and bar culture, 2021 will be about rethinking convention and moving towards a more inventive and responsible whisky industry. Bars will focus on reducing wastage in drinks, eschewing disposables and sourcing ingredients that are locally grown and produced, sometimes even within the bar itself.
Continual rise of new craft producers: The whisky world will witness a boom in the number of craft producers, micro distilleries and increased approachability when it comes to newer entrants. With rise in homegrown brands and rapid modern whisky movement, we can expect a big wave in number of craft producers with a nuanced and refined whisky collection.
The next big whisky market: Lesser-known whisky regions will gain prominence. Changing lifestyles, higher incomes, increasing demand for premium spirits, change in demographics of the whisky drinkers, etc, will significantly contribute in bringing several countries on the whisky map of the world. Especially for a country like India where whisky culture has evolved by leaps and bounds from both producers and consumers end. The century old whisky market has been gaining its momentum quiet steadily and will continue to be a preferred spirit this year as well.
While single malt as a category will remain a preferred choice among the mature consumers, it will continue to attract the young drinkers in times to come. In addition to these trends, food pairings will continue to be a great way to cherish your single malt. While most people are curious to try food pairings, they are not sure how to.
Consuming your single malt with food opens a world of aroma and flavour opportunities. The goal is not just to find things that go well together, but to create a match where the food brings out something new in the whisky or the whisky brings out something new in the food. In other words, the idea is to create gastronomic synergy to appreciate and savour the drink.
Don’t be intimidated with the enormous length and breadth of food options to try out with your single malt just trust your taste buds. You can enjoy a dram with any food you like. Experiment a little and find out what works for you.
So here are a few food pairings that go extremely well with water of life aka whisky:
Diverse culinary culture of the South: Unexpectedly, have you ever cherished your single malt with fiery flavours of Andhra cuisine? If not, you’re missing out. Gongura leaves and red chillies peculiar to both Andhra and Telangana delicacies work well with the fruity notes of your whisky. Choose from a wide variety of mouth-watering vegetarian and non-vegetarian delicacies.
Exotic flavours of Kashmir: The extraordinary gastronomical journey of the Kashmiri cuisine is worth the mention. The traditional Kashmiri wazwan which comprises of slow cooked meat dishes is yet another wonderful pairing and enhances the spicy notes of the whisky. The spices and the condiments just accentuate your drinking experience.
The South-East Asian bandwagon: When it comes to the global fare, the tangy flavours of South-East Asian cuisine are a perfect accompaniment with the malty notes a single malt offers. The aromatic component of the South-East Asian food adds a lot of flavour to your whisky.
The secret ingredient: Elixirs created with fine ingredients is yet another way to experiment with flavours and tasting notes of single malts. For instance, each whisky variant pairs well with different ingredients that enhance the aroma and finish of the single malt serve, so there’s a whole world of flavours to play with.
The rules are simple — choose a subtle dram to compliment lighter flavours or a spicier whisky to complement fuller-flavoured dishes. So, grab your glass of whisky and pair it with the food of your choice to relish every sip of it with added flavours. Slainte!
(The writer is the Brand Ambassador of Glenfiddich India.)