Whisky & Food

A whisky that tastes like wine doesn't belong next to a fish-and-chips shop. It suits better what actually lands on the table in Melbourne itself: boldly seasoned, often Asian-influenced, and always mindful of the wine regions all around.

A good example is Melbourne's Chinatown, one of the oldest continuously inhabited Chinese quarters in the southern hemisphere, established by Chinese immigrants during the 1850s gold rush. Crispy roasted Peking duck with its slightly sweet soy glaze matches the fruit notes of a wine-cask-matured whisky like Starward Nova with surprising precision.

Far more down-to-earth is the Chiko Roll, invented in 1951 in Bendigo, less than two hours' drive from Melbourne: a deep-fried pastry roll with a vegetable filling that's been part of every footy match in the state ever since. A simple, no-fuss whisky from Victoria suits it better than any single malt from the other side of the world.

For the smokier side, grilled meat from Gippsland in eastern Victoria, a region known for its pasture-raised beef, is well worth trying. A steak with a dark crust pairs well with Bakery Hill's peated malt. Both, after all, come from open fire, one from the grill grate, the other once from burning peat.

Those with a sweet tooth might reach for wine rather than whisky. Just as fitting is a piece of cheese from the Yarra Valley, the very region that supplies the casks the whisky matured in beforehand. A small circle closes on the plate, just as it does in the barrel warehouse.