Glenlivet Dinner

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I am not a big scotch drinker. I claim ignorance on this holy water from Scotland but I do know enough to stay away from the lesser quality and appreciate the finer single malts. I have never seen the Tourist Tree doing scotch even though she claims that she has done a sip here and there out of friends’ glasses (whatever that means?). An e-mail flashed in front of my computer screen announcing a scotch dinner featuring a Glenlivet whisky lineup at the Swann. It looked intriguing. I have had scotch before and after meals but never with a meal. I said to Tourist Tree, “We’re going!”

Duck Fat French Fries, Lavender Salt, Malt Vinegar, Roasted Garlic Aioli. Glenlivet 12

We started the dinner with this canapé and the 12 year Glenlivet whisky. A small carafe of water was placed on the table so we could add a splash of water to the glass in our pleasure to open up the whisky. The fries were soft and mushy with a nice crispy snap on the outside. I liked the garlic aioli which was flavored with herbs and garlic but I liked the lavender salt even better due to its taste and granular texture. I have eaten fries many times with beer and even wine. My first experience with this odd couple of fries and Scotch whisky was…unexpectedly pleasant.

The restaurants at the Four Seasons have always been very accommodating with Tourist Tree’s food allergies. Besides modifying all the dishes for her, they also have warmed gluten free bread which tastes closer to regular bread than a chemical experiment. 

“Oysters on the Rocks” Applewood Bacon, Spinach, Scotch Cream. Glenlivet 15 French Oak Reserve

The fat from the bacon mixing with the juice from the oyster and the scotch cream was intoxicating. I loved the play between the textures of all the ingredients. Definitely could use a dozen or so more of this playful take off of Clams Casino which happened to pair quite well with the in depth flavor of the 15.

Vanilla Maple Glazed Muscovy Duck Breast, Red Cabbage Slaw, Apple Salad, Cumin Dressing. Glenlivet 16 Nàdurra   

This was a non-attention grabbing breast. Nothing outrageous. Nothing erroneous.  What grabbed my attention was the apple salad. Besides being delicious with its crisp texture and refreshing tart flavor, the apple salad also showed good knife work from the chef with each tiny piece perfectly cut into a symmetrical cube. It worked very well in tandem with the slight spice kick from the slaw and the sweeter, fruiter flavor of the cask strength, non-filtered 16 Nàdurra.

Charred Ribeye, Rutabaga Purée, Crispy Onion, Smoked Butter. Glenlivet 18

We were greeted by beautiful grill marks. It looked like somebody had spent a painful amount of time painting the perfect diamond pattern on the steak. The meat was flavorful, but needed a few more sprinkles of seasoning. Overall, it was a nice piece of ribeye cooked perfectly medium-rare but just not in the same league as those from some of the more noticeable steak houses in the city.

The 18 is made from blending whisky aged in 70 % American oak and 30% French oak. Its deep intense flavor was a nice companion for the steak…and its perfectly painted charred marks.

Warm Chocolate Scotch Bread Pudding, Honey Chantilly Cream, Cherry Compote, Vanilla Tuile. Glenlivet 21 Archive 

I was expecting a strong taste of scotch in the bread pudding. What best to capture flavor from liquid than bread? However, I was a bit disappointed that the scotch fragrance was not there. May be it got baked away? Regardless, the pudding was excellent in texture, moisture, and taste (if you take the lack of scotch out of the formula). The chocolate essence was restrained and so was the sweetness. This savory pudding was nicely contrasted by the sour zing in the cherries.

The 21 Archive was sweeter than all the whiskies we have had this night. It’s “honeyer” in taste and very much in smoothness.

Instead of the Bread pudding, Tourist Tree got the healthy choice version of fresh fruits. The berries and the pineapple were excellent as usual but unfortunately, the cantaloupe and the honeydew were a bit lacking.

Petits Fours

Yes, there was a pairing with the petits fours. The Glenlivet 25 was simply a “wow!” If there were an umami for scotch, this whisky has it. The depth, the intensity, and the smoothness were powerful and unmatched. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to taint my palate sipping this 25 with the petits fours, but a piece of strong chocolate did add a new dimension to the experience. If I only could have a cigar….

Since Tourist Tree was the designated driver, she only tasted each glass of the whisky in moderation during the dinner. At the end of the meal, we lined up all her glasses for a vertical tasting. The 12 was good; 15 definitely sweeter; 16 fruiter; 18 nutty and even sweeping; 21 taking smoothness to the next level; 25 was just a “wow!” Take a sip of the 12 after the 25 showed the ordinariness (even it’s not) of the 12 and could completely drive your palette insane.

We arrived at this sold-out-in-a-matter-of-hours dinner seeing a men dominated venue with a few women sprinkled around the dining room. The question was, how many of women were dragged there by the men or vice versa? At the end of the dinner, it had become apparent that the question was irrelevant. A good scotch is enjoyed by men and women not just before or after a meal. The restaurant and its talented kitchen also showed us that it can be paired with a variety of food. Of course, nothing would work unless the whisky itself is well made with care and consideration as Glenlivet showed us. Among the good whisky and the good food, the most rewarding surprise was discovering that Tourist Tree was open to tasting the different whiskies and enjoyed them all.

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