Whisky & Food

Appenzeller raw-milk cheese and Säntis Malt literally come from the same road. Brewery and cheesemaker sit in the same stretch of land, shaped by the same pungent mountain climate. The robust, slightly sharp cheese meets the malty depth of beer-cask maturation. Both hold their own, rather than overpowering each other.

Appenzeller Biberli works in a similar way. This is a honey pastry filled with gingerbread spice from the Appenzell region. Its sweetness and notes of cinnamon and clove pick up on the caramel tones in the whisky. The bitterness in the finish provides contrast. As a snack for a get-together, this pastry is common in the region anyway.

In Valais, where mild Alpine valleys also let whisky mature, raclette is part of everyday life. Cheese melts under grill heat and is scraped directly over boiled potatoes. A sip of whisky afterward clears the palate. It prepares the mouth for the next bite, much like a digestif would otherwise.

With dried Bündnerfleisch or Landjäger, a bolder, more cask-driven Whisky Castle works better. The fat in the meat cushions the sharpness of the alcohol. The basic rule remains: the bolder the mountain dish, the more cask character the whisky beside it can handle without being overwhelmed.

A piece of pungent mountain cheese on its own often works well too. The fattiness in the cheese binds the alcohol's sharpness, while the whisky's sweetness balances the salty maturity of the cheese. This gives rise to a simple everyday rule: what grows together in the Alps usually also belongs together on the plate.