American literary giant Mark Twain had said, “Too much of anything is bad, but too much good whiskey is barely enough.” The daily drudgery of a long, tiring day is sufficiently softened and balanced out with swigs of good whisky. And, good food cooked and paired with good whisky really hits the spot for a happy ending to the day.
Bollywood-themed restaurant Friday Release recently collaborated with Amrut — an Indian single malt whisky brand produced by Amrit Distilleries, to host a food-pairing and whisky-tasting session. The “high spirited” evening do offered dishes that paired well with whisky. Between whiffs and sips of whiskies and rum, some nuggets of information on whiskies in general and some myth-busters in particular, filled up the tasting session. To add to this, the delectable dishes infused and paired with whisky, did wonders on the palate. As a Bollywood buff would say to sum up the evening, echoing Amrish Puri’s popular dialogue as Mogambo from the movie Mr. India — which was painted on a colourful wall in the restaurant with his ‘Mogambo’ face etched on it — “Mogambo khush hua”.
“We conducted the Amrut Masterclass followed by a whisky dinner to understand the nuances of the flavours of the whiskies and rum first and then pair them with a curated food menu, establishing that whisky, rum and food have a very close relation. Throughout the session, we certainly broke many myths and answered many questions,” said Nikhil Varma, executive techno sales, Amrut, who flew down from Bangalore to hold the masterclass. Pictures: B. Halder
MaQintosh Batter Fish: The batter used for coating the fish is infused with MaQintosh, which makes the fish a lot more soft and succulent. You can pair it with any of the five spirits to take in distinct notes of each with the munch-worthy starter. Rs 379 Pictures: B. Halder
MaQintosh Malai Paneer Tikka: The mild and creamy notes of Malai Paneer Tikka is infused with MaQintosh that lends softness to the paneer. Rs 299 Pictures: B. Halder
(L-R) Smokey-sweet Amrut Two Indies Rum; pure peated Amrut Amalgam Peated Malt Whisky; Amrut Fusion Single Malt Whisky with a neat and crisp taste with chocolatey notes; citrusy and fruity Amrut Amalgam Malt Whisky; and blended MaQintosh Silver Edition Whisky. Pictures: B. Halder
Four aspects of whisky tasting, highlighted in the session:
1. Nose: A whiff of the whisky, taking in the flavours through the sense of smell.
2. Palate: The first few sips that introduce the burst of flavours to the palate.
3. Finish: The lingering aftertaste that fills the mouth after taking the final sip.
4. Balance: As the name suggests, it’s all about a balance between the nose, palate and finish. When all the three things converge, you can discern if it’s a great whisky or a good whisky.
