I started a regular monthly feature last month with Cheese and Beer pairing of the Month (okay it was this month but it was the June post...). This weekend I found another match.
My girlfriend went to the Taste of Edinburgh recently and brought me back an interesting looking cheese. Wrapped in orange wax this mature cheddar has whisky added. As may be apparent I love cheese and this is a marvellous specimen. Mature enough to feel the "burn" over the whole mouth. The rich fruity character needs a good contrast in a beer so decided to try it with a roasted beer.
Snowdonia Amber Mist (from manufacturer website)
I recently picked up a bottle of Odell Cut Throat Porter from The Vineyard in Belfast. This is a traditional English style porter with plenty of roast barley and chocolate on the nose. Roasted and thick body with gentle carbonation and a chocolaty finish.
When this is paired with the cheese the mature flavour really brings out the roast barley character. The sweet oatcakes I ate it with contrasted the sharp whisky in the beer. The carbonation lifted the cheese from the tongue and the coffee refreshed the palate for a fresh onslaught by the beer.
I think this transatlantic pairing worked particularly well. I think the cheese would also be a good match for a rauchbier or peated Islay whisky.
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