Whisky and Pancakes; how to enjoy pancake day properly

let’s begin

The British love nothing more than a good pancake. Whether it’s smothered in Nutella or has a sprinkling of sugar and lemon, we go wild for the things. So why not combine Whisky and Pancakes?

What’s not to love? Whisky and Pancakes are both versatile, able to bend their magnificent flavour to your every whim and just taste amazing. There is a pancake for every occasion.

To honour the great Pancake, we’ve put together a list of pancakes and toppings paired with some of the best Whiskies out there. Pancakes are the best food, so why not pair them with the best drink?

Making your Pancake

First, let’s start with a simple pancake recipe.

Ingredients:

2 eggs

100g plain flour

300ml milk

1 tbsp sunflower or vegetable oil

Add the flour to a large bowl and carefully whisk in the egg.
Gradually add the milk as you stir the mixture.
Finally, add the oil and give it all a good whisk.
Heat some oil in a frying pan and add a ladleful of the batter, allowing it to spread out to cover the whole of the pan.
Check the pancake is lightly browned on one side and then gently flip it to cook the other.
Once it’s browned on both sides, it’s ready to be served.

We’ve come up with some great serving suggestions so you can enjoy a whole meal of pancakes, with some excellent Whiskies as well.

To Start

To begin your Whisky and Pancake pairing, we’ve gone for the classic smoked salmon and cream cheese, paired with a delightful Ailsa Bay Single Malt.

Ailsa Bay is a lowland distillery and their Single Malt is slightly peated. It is ultra smooth and the smoke goes exceptionally well with the salmon.

It also has a wonderful heat, full of cinnamon and nutmeg, that goes excellently with the cool creaminess of salmon and cream cheese.

Sweet notes round the dram off, which are perfect to complement the slightly meaty flavour of the salmon.

The Main

Go for a savoury cheddar and ham paired with GreatDrams Craigellachie 11 Year Old.

This dram is really meaty, but with a sweet side as well. It has been matured in ex-Bourbon and finished for six months in Oloroso Sherry casks.

The smoky flavour profile adds a whole new element to the richness of the cheddar (make sure you get a strong one!) and ham.

The hints of vanilla and oak wood also give the flavour a great boost and add elegance to your pancakes.

the main

Round the whole meal off with some After Eights, either with or without pancakes at this stage.

These are perfectly paired with a Chivas Regal 18 Year Old, which is brimming with sweet notes of citrus fruit and vanilla.

The sweetness of the Whisky is ideal with the dark chocolate and the coolness of the mint. Mint is a versatile flavour itself, and the Chivas 18 Year Old really helps bring out its richness, especially with sweet orange flavours.

The palate of the Whisky becomes slightly darker, with hints of mahogany, coffee and dark chocolate. It is the perfect complement to After Eights.

For a bit of a treat

There is nothing better than the typical sugar, lemon and nutella pancakes for a bit of a treat. Pair it with a Dewar’s 25 Year Old and you’ve got yourself something spectacular.

The nose leads with honey, which is undeniably the best flavour you could add to the above combination.

Vanilla, with crisp orchard fruits and a hint of smoke give this dram a sophisticated and sweet body. Again, this is brilliant when put with lemon, bringing out the tartness of the citrus and the sweetness of the sugar.

The fruits are also great with Nutella, which is smooth and nutty, and adds a nice flavour to bounce of the sharpness of the berries and citrus fruits that come through in the Dewar’s.

What are your thoughts? Leave a comment below and let’s have a chat!

Tags: NutellaPancakesWhisky

Greg

My name is Greg, and I’m a brand strategy consultant, writer, speaker, host and judge specialising in premium spirits. My mission is to experience, share and inspire with everything great about whisky, whiskey, gin, beer and fine dining through my writing, my brand building and my whisky tastings.