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We’re always exploring new ways for visitors to get the most out of their experience at Raasay Distillery and to better demonstrate our process, our whiskies and what the local area has to offer. That’s why we have paired up with local chocolatier Finlay MacDonald of Chocolates of Glenshiel to blend together two of our favourite products and launch our new Whisky & Chocolate tours.
On the west coast of Loch Duich, across the water from the picturesque Eilean Donan castle lies Glenshiel where Finlay works to create an incredible array of hand-crafted local chocolates. A young, passionate entrepreneur and chocolatier, he has been creating award-winning chocolates from Glenshiel since 2016. After meeting with him and sampling his fantastic creations, we thought his talent for infusing flavours and crafting high-quality chocolates would pair perfectly with our range of whiskies here on Raasay.
Chocolate and Whisky Tasting
Chocolate and whisky are a perfect pairing. The higher alcoholic strength of the spirit works perfectly to cut through the fat of the chocolate and bring out the best flavours on the palate. When sampled correctly they can be a great way to experience whiskies and even change your impression of a whisky entirely.
To get the most out of a chocolate and whisky tasting, we recommend starting by taking just the smallest sip of whisky, just enough to coat the mouth and cover the palate. Now that you’ve had a taste, take a small bite of your chocolate of choice and let it melt on your tongue and interact with the whisky. Repeating the steps of small sips of whisky followed by the chocolate will start to bring out more flavour as the chocolate and whisky interact. We’ve worked to create the best pairing with our Raasay While We Wait and Tweeddale drams for our visitors, resulting in the following three very different chocolates.
Isle of Skye Sea Salted Caramel Milk Chocolate
Pairing with Raasay While We Wait, this milk chocolate and salted caramel treat is the perfect companion to Raasay While We Wait, using local ingredients to bring out the best of what we have to offer in the area. Whisky and chocolate pairings traditionally tend to favour dark chocolate, but the sweetness of the milk chocolate coupled with the rich red wine notes of our single malt blend together perfectly. On the palate, the smoke tends to reveal itself and the Isle of Skye sea salt infused caramel contrasts with the sweetness of the whisky and is the perfect savoury compliment to the light peat of Raasay While We Wait.
Dark Chocolate and Ginger
Pairing with Tweeddale Grain of Truth, dark chocolate and ginger works to bring out the best in our new grain whisky. On the first bite, the dark chocolate interacts with the sweet, sugary notes of the whisky, coating the mouth and greatly enhancing the flavour of the sherry finish. On the second bite, the caramelised ginger pulls through tastes from the back of the palate to the front.
Raasay While We Wait Infused Dark Chocolate
Our final chocolate is a specially commissioned stand alone Raasay While We Wait infused chocolate. Whisky chocolates and chocolate liqueurs are a very difficult balance to get right, and often times can veer too much in one direction or the other. We believe that Finlay from Chocolates of Glenshiel has managed to create a wonderful balance, with a soft centre and a beautiful geodesic shape sprinkled in a gold dust that’s reminiscent of our striking reception building.
Book Your Chocolate and Whisky Tasting
We look forward to showing off these chocolates as part of the Isle of Raasay Distillery tour experiences. Whisky & Chocolate Tasting tours can be booked online for £15 per person. If you’ve already booked a distillery tour, then don’t worry, you can always upgrade if you are tempted! Just speak to a member of the team when you arrive at the distillery for more information.
