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Founded in 1824, the Macallan distilery in Speyside, Scotland produces a diverse portfolio of whiskys for both the novice and the seasoned Scotch drinker. As a bartender, I often recommend Macallan 12 to guests desirous of a gentle Scotch 101; the liquor is neither inaccessibly priced (as single malts go) nor extremely smoky. Its appeal to a broad audience is evidenced by its huge share of the single-malt market in America; it is second (in sales) only to Glenlivet.

One of the best ways to be introduced to the mysteries of Scotch whisky is with a familiar tour guide. In the case of Macallan 12, the best tour guide available is an all-American coconut cream pie. The dreamiest version of the tropical treat comes from the candy-pink sugar shack at 2nd and Arch, Tartes.

Tartes chef and owner Teresa Wall’s coco-for-one is built on a base of toasted coconut cookie crust, filled with coconut cream, topped with whipped and sprinkled with more toasted coconut. It is a dessert tour de force on its own, but when paired with the slightly sharp whisky, things get pretty crazy.

The method for marrying the sexy duo goes like this: take a bite of the coconut pie, and just as the last bits of cream dissolve on your tongue, take a sip of whisky. The European oak sherry casks that the whisky ages in lend notes of spice, specifically ginger and cinnamon, that cut through the creamy dessert. Conversely, the sweetness of the pie brings out the subtle fruity sweetness of the Scotch — the figs and apricots that lie beneath, as it were.

If coconut cream pie just doesn’t do it for you, apple pie with cinnamon ice cream or crème brûlée play the sweet ingenue role just as adeptly.

But don’t take my word for it — Eat This (together) Immediately!

This entry was posted on Thursday, December 18th, 2008 at 9:15 am and is filed under Booze, Eat This Immediately. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.