The Balvenie Tasting Dinner

We had a packed house for our Balvenie tasting dinner last Wednesday evening. Chef Nick mixed up some unique dishes that were paired perfectly with a variety of the Balvenie’s scotches we tasted. 

The dinner began with a Summer Old Fashioned; this Old Fashioned is a bit unique, as it was made with a green tea syrup and lavender bitters. 

The first Taste of the evening, The Balvenie’s Week of Peat 14 year,  was paired with Chef Nick’s Chilled Lobster Gazpacho with street cart watermelon & cucumber, lemon oil, and parsley. The Chef prepared the lobster for the gazpacho by braising it in butter and then chilling the lobster.  The gazpacho had a creamy smooth flavor, and the watermelon and cucumber are seasoned just like our local street carts with Tajin, Salt and Lime. 

The second Taste of the evening, 12 yr Sweet Toast of American Oak, was paired with a Hamachi Crudo. This course also had a light summertime feel to it and went perfectly with the scotch. The hamachi was layered with juicy honeydew and cantaloupe.  The bottom of the plate was gorgeously painted with whipped avocado. The dish had an unusual ingredient, corn nuts; a favorite childhood snack of the Chef. He also snuck in his all-time favorite seasoning, Thai Basil, into the mix which makes an appearance every tasting dinner. 

Our third Taste was Caribbean Cask. This scotch was paired with Loomi & Saffron Spiced Chicken which is a new spin on a Persian dish. First, we brined chicken for 48 hours in a salt and lemon mix.  Next, the chicken is pan-seared and blackened with Loomi and served on a bed of cauliflower hash, labneh, and barberries. 

The fourth Taste, a 17-year Doublewood, was paired with our Blackened Pork Tenderloin. The pork is sous vide for 1hour 30 minutes; talk about tender! Next, we blackened it and served over polenta with a coconut corn sauce and sour orange. 

The fifth and final Taste was the 21 year Portwood paired with a deliciously fresh Ginger Peach Cobbler and tasty churro ice cream.

Check out our short video recapping the event