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Five whiskies make the ideal number to show the wonderful flavor range of scotch. Pour a small 1/4 to 1/2 ounce shot for each pairing. This will easily give you 40 shots per bottle. Have plenty of water available to keep your guests well hydrated and help rinse the palate between pairings. To see our recommended whisky pairings for the Party Box of bon bons, click on the link to the right of this page, or choose your own from our flavor collections.
Plan on one chocolate per person per pairing and be sure that you have inquired about any guest food allergies or health concerns.
Store chocolates in a cool and dry place before serving.
Refrigeration is not required except in the warmest conditions.
Serve at room temperature for the best flavor experience but always keep chocolates out of the sun to prevent melting.
Display the chocolates in front of the bottles they are paired with, but be sure that this will work with your party logistics. Test your
"pour and pass" routine in advance of the party. Plan some method of cleansing the glass between pairings. If you do not have extra glasses, strategically place spitoon buckets and paper towels to allow guests to rinse and wipe their own. The Glencairn glass was designed for scotch tasting with its funneled top for nosing and wider base for swirling. In lieu of the perfect glass, use one with the most tapered top to best funnel the aromas.
Don't hesitate to share your knowledge about each scotch with your guests. Print off the tasting notes for each dram from our website or gather others from the many websites and books that celebrate scotch. Enjoy the process of finding each flavor notes. Don't worry about that open bottle, it is more important to have your own trial taste of each pairing before the event.
HOW TO PAIR: Start with the lighter flavors first, then progress to the more robust. Pour your first scotch. Have everyone raise the glass to note the beautiful color and swirl to aerate and watch the "legs" of liquid roll down the glass. Enjoy the aroma and see how many notes can be identified. Take a sip and focus on the mouth feel and flavors. Take your time to let each flavor note develop. Once you have identified the predominate scotch notes on your palate, take your first small bite of chocolate. Let the tongue explore it's velvety goodness as you register the wonderful flavor and texture. On your second bite of chocolate, come back with another sip of scotch. You will find the chocolate brings out new flavors that were not as obvious before the pairing. Sip, bite, bite and sip. This simple sequence takes your scotch tasting experience to a whole new level of enjoyment. Encourage comments then repeat the process. Relax and enjoy the comraderie of good friends.
Plain crackers work well as a palate neutralizer between pairings. You may also want to introduce other foods in the middle or at the end of the formal pairing. We recommend that you keep this additional menu simple, easy to prepare and serve.
For the ultimate Sip Smoke Savor indulgence, you may want to add cigars at the end of the chocolate pairing event. Ask your guests to pick their favorite scotch from the formal pairings, then pour that dram and pair it with the cigar recommended for their whisky.
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Party Box
