Mac ‘n’ Cheese

This Christmas, we’re planning to make our cheese board sing (carols and all) by pairing artisanal selections with a fine, single-malt Scotch—The Macallan, made from 100 per cent barley and matured in oak casks, is an excellent choice—to create the grown-up version of “Mac ‘n’ Cheese.” Here’s how:

perfect pairings. Start with The Macallan Double Cask 12 Years Old: a fully rounded single malt that boasts notes of creamy butterscotch, candied orange and vanilla custard. Pair it with a young manchego—a rich, mellow sheep’s milk cheese that cuts through the spice and citrus notes of the Scotch while enhancing its notes of honey and vanilla custard. Another option: pick up a bottle of The Macallan Rare Cask and bring out its hint of maple syrup and candied nuts by pairing it with a soft and creamy camembert. The Macallan Rare Cask’s notes of vanilla and citrus also help to cut through the cheese’s richness, making this duo a match made in festive foodie heaven.

presentation matters. A careful arrangement will make everything look and taste its best. Start with cheeses that complement your spirit selection; aim for multiple styles and flavours. Include three to five non-cheese accoutrements that add a variety of colours and textures to the plate. Pick  avours that either complement each other or are opposites. Think in terms such as “salty and sweet” or “acidic and fatty.”

prepping and planning. Cheese is best served at room temperature, so prep your plate at least one hour before serving. Also, every guest should receive around an ounce of each cheese type. No cheese board? No problem! Presentation is an opportunity to show your personality. Try creating your own board with
a piece of reclaimed wood, vintage ceramic tiles or a unique stone slab.

slice it right. Fine cheese deserves to be sliced with care. For firm wedges, slice the rind on the side, then continue slicing to create easy-to-eat triangular portions. For blue and aged cheeses, chunk along the natural breaks by positioning your knife perpendicular to the cutting board. A soft wedge with a bloomy rind should be sliced from the side and then portioned into smaller pieces. And a slab of hard cheese is easy to portion: cut straight across the width of the slab and then in half again.

take notes. Have pens and paper readily available for guests to capture their preferred Scotch and cheese combinations—not to mention, which The Macallan expression was their favourite dram of the evening! —Vita Daily

themacallan.com