If you’re a fan of The Glendronach and you’re partial to Spanish cuisine, then you’re in for a treat! For a very limited time, The Glendronach and Gildas Wine Bar in Sydney have teamed up to create a sensational combined tasting menu. Here’s the background…
If you had to describe The Glendronach and pigeonhole its whiskies into the most basic of styles, the word “sherried” would be the first word you’d reach for. Glendronach is one of just a small handful of Scotland’s distilleries that champion sherry cask maturation, and their resulting malts showcase those classic sherried whisky flavours of dried fruits, spices, and Christmas cake. With its strong connection to sherry, Glendronach is thus intrinsically connected to Spain. Sherry, of course, comes from Spain. (More on that in a moment). And that’s where Gildas fits in.
Gildas is one of Sydney’s hottest venues – a restaurant / wine bar that, amazingly, was awarded Two Chefs Hats within just three months of opening! It is the second venue from owner/chef Lennox Hastie, who’d already wowed Sydney diners with his exceptional Firedoor restaurant. (The two venues are just 50m from one another). Inspired by Hastie’s time in the foothills of the Basque country in the north-east of Spain, Gildas is a homage to the original pintxo created in San Sebastian with three simple ingredients; a guindilla pepper, an olive, and an anchovy. Gildas’ menu covers many different dishes and produce, but a Spanish heart beats through it all. No surprise, therefore, that Gildas also features one of Sydney’s biggest and best range of sherries, available by the glass.
Sherry, for the uninitiated, is subject to the Appellation d’origine controlée regulations (AOC, or “controlled designation of origin”), and thus wines branded as sherry can only come from the traditional sherry-producing region in Spain, namely Jerez. (It’s the same reason why champagne can only come from the region of Champagne in France, and everyone else has to call their product sparkling wine. Australia – which has a long and proud tradition of making this style of fortified wine – must now call its local product apera.) For a more detailed article about sherry, you might like to read our feature article, The Whisky Lover’s Complete Guide to Sherry.
So…with the intrinsic connection between Glendronach, sherry, Spain, and Gildas, it is perhaps no surprise that Glendronach and Gildas have partnered together to showcase the best of each other’s virtues. Glendronach’s core-range of whiskies – chiefly their 12yo, 15yo, and 18yo expressions – are now available to try by the glass at Gildas, and you can try each with a matched pintxo. For the best experience, sit down and try the flight of three with the accompanying food matches – and then order a main from the regular menu, perhaps with an accompanying fino or amontillado sherry? (We can recommend the grilled Bundarra pork with romesco, baby leeks, and hazelnuts. Or, for the more adventurous, the steak tartare with anchovy cream and pickled mushrooms is sensational).
The food pairings were put together by Gildas Head Chef, Zach Elliott-Crenn, and there’s no other way to say this: As whisky and food pairings go, the matches are sublime. Each of the pintxos has a connection to the Glendronach malt it’s been paired with – for example, the malt has been used as a marinade, or it’s a key component in the sauce.
When you arrive at Gildas, be sure to order the aptly-named Ronnie Cocktail as you get comfortable. It features The Glendronach 12yo, Campari, grapefruit and cava, and it sets your palate up perfectly for what’s to come.
The tasting menu is as follows:
The Glendronach 12-Year-Old
Pintxo pairing: Anchovy, puff pastry, piquillo pepper glazed with The Glendronach 12-Year-Old.
The Glendronach 15-Year-Old
Pintxo pairing: Scallop, morcilla, apple poached caramel made with The Glendronach 15-Year-Old.
The Glendronach 18-Year-Old
Pintxo pairing: Jamón croqueta, dressed with Jamón glazed in The Glendronach 18-Year-Old.
Tocino de Cielo Dessert Special
Served with golden raisins, and caramel infused with The Glendronach 18-Year-Old.
The trio tasting flight includes the three pintxos and 20ml pours of the 12yo, 15yo, and 18yo whiskies for $78, but make sure you have the dessert also – it’s a lusciously rich and sweet affair in the style of a creme caramel, not to mention another chance to enjoy the influence of The Glendronach 18yo.
The Glendronach tasting menu is on offer at Gildas until 14th December. Get there quickly!
Cheers,
AD
With thanks to Brown-Forman Australia, We Are Different PR, and the wonderful team at Gildas for the opportunity to try the menu first-hand.
