FEATURE A freshly shucked its 'liquor'
oyster - still containing
(sea water from the inlet where it
was farmed) will a have a powerful flavour. Immediately,
sea-fresh
these flavours bring
to mind whiskies from the west coast of Scotland
and, in particular,
Talisker - sweet,
spicy, smoky and with a distinct maritime
briny/
nature. Both ingredients
here
display a real sense of place, but it's in the bringing
together
of these two products
- your local oysters with the Isle of Skye's finest - that the magic really happens. The pairing
works on many levels. The
saltiness and smokiness compliments
of the whisky
the oyster, whilst the spiciness
and sweetness
cut and contrast
~
respectively.
-
_, -
Talisker really is the ideal partner to oysters in this regard. But don't be afraid to experiment
HOT TIP: Should you be lucky enough to visit Talisker Distiller on the shores of Loch Harport in Skye make sure you grab a bottle from the distillery and take a short stroll to _. the Oyster Shed. They sell a variety of fresh seafood including Pacific Oysters straight out of the loch!
with other whiskies - there's a lot
of fun to be had in this exploration
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THE OYSTER RITUAL WITH TALISKER STORM
OYSTER SPECIES
Sydney Rock Oysters offer a variety of flavours well suited to being paired with
There are three species of oyster found
a range of whiskies,
What we call 'The Oyster Ritual' at Talisker
in Australian
complex
is a great way to enjoy the experience.
introduced.
Here's how:
Pacific Oyster (introduced) common
STEP ONE:
Pour yourself
a little (30ml) neat
waters - two native and one Sydney Rock (native) and the are the most
with Angassi (a native flat oyster)
Talisker Storm (a more intense, sea-fresh Talisker expression)
and take a sip
SYDNEY ROCK OYSTERS WITH OBAN 14-YEAR-OLD
STEP TWO: Down your freshly shucked oyster
from fruity, malts, through
to rich, intense, spicy and smoky island malts. My tip is to try Sydney Rock Oysters with a coastal Highland 14-Year-Old.
being a little less so.
ranging
and lightly peated
malt like Oban
Lightly peated,
fruity, malty
and with just a subtle
maritime
and mineral spiciness
coming
stands up to the complex
character through,
it
flavours found
in
these oysters. The native Sydney Rock Oyster - despite its name - can be found around
much of
PACIFIC OYSTERS WITH LAGAVULIN 8-YEAR-OLD
STEP THREE: Pour 30ml of Talisker into your
Australia's
oyster shell
concentrated
STEP FOUR: Drink the Talisker Storm from
Sydney Rocks offer a rich savoury flavour
next pairing
the shell
with a subtle mineral and herbaceous
yet youthfully
coastline,
though
farming
is
in New South Wales. Sticking to the West Coast of Scotland finish.
our
features the rich and powerful, fresh Lagavulin
8-Year-Old
with
Pacific Oysters. Pacific oysters were introduced
from
Japan in the 1940s, and are the most common
in Australia.
the southern Australia
Australian
They are grown in waters of South
and Tasmania, and in some New
South Wales estuaries. They tend to be more firmly textured, with a refreshing
salty/sweet
and subtle herbaceous
ocean burst
flavour - it's that
'ocean burst' that works so well with the maritime
intensity
and smoke of Lagavulin
8-Year-Old. exploredrinks.com
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