While wine often takes the spotlight, whiskey and cheese make excellent partners, and you’d be hard-pressed to find stronger advocates for that fact than the team behind this class. Guests are welcomed to join Dan Pontius, Bar Manager of Alden and Harlow and Donal O’Gallachoir, a representative for Glendalough Distillery, along with Julia Hallman, cheesemonger and general manager at Formaggio Kitchen Cambridge, for a spectacular evening of whiskey and cheese.
During this edible lesson on how and why whiskey and cheese pair so well together, Donal will explain the origin and rich history of Glendalough Distillery as well as the vast and distinct flavors associated with the various types. Next, Julia will discuss a variety of cheeses, how they are made and what characteristics make them a perfect complement for whiskey. Together, they’ll plate up some of our favorite cheeses alongside a variety of whiskey styles in a multi-flight tasting to illustrate the toothsome and tasty potential of this kind of pairing. Lastly, not to be outdone, Dan will whip up a couple whiskey cocktails highlighting Glendalough Distillery which will be perfectly paired with cheese. This will be an epic evening of whiskey and cheese that shouldn’t be missed!
More details below on the latest from Glendalough Whiskey:
The Double Barrel Irish Whiskey gains its sweet, smooth vanilla notes from three years in bourbon barrels before being transferred to 500 litre Oloroso casks from Montilla, for up to a year, where it becomes steeped in rich, dark, fruity and floral flavors (raisins, sultanas, fig, candied peel, cinnamon and nutmeg) with a nutty, complex finish.
The 7-Year-Old Single Malt gets its flavor from Dublin’s Black Pitts Porter craft beer barrels, the deep, dark flavors of chocolate malt and roasted barley give the whiskey its cocoa, toffee and dark-chocolate-orange notes.
The 13-Year-Old Single Malt is the first and only Irish whiskey that uses Japanese Mizunara oak. Extremely rare and expensive, the oak is found in the forests of Hokkaido; its high levels of vanillins pack a punch, with exquisite sandalwood flavors, layered with honey, and citrusy notes for a distinctly unique tasting whiskey.
Tickets are $65 and can be purchased here: eventbrite.com/e/whiskey-and-cheese-pairing-with-glendalough-distillery-tickets-42466260729
Founded by five friends from Wicklow and Dublin with a deep passion for reviving the heritage of craft distilling in Ireland, Glendalough Distillery has forged their own path to produce innovative spirits while staying true to the tradition and legacy of their Irish ancestors. Glendalough (meaning The Valley of Two Lakes) is a glacial valley nestled in the Wicklow Mountains renowned for its early medieval monastic settlement founded in the 6th century by St. Kevin, a legendary monk and the man depicted on their bottle.