Whisky and Wings: Your New Favorite Pairing (Video)

By Sam Slaughter Published January 31, 2018

Oops! We couldn't load this video player

If you mention the words “food and drink pairing” to someone, chances are, wine and cheese are going to come to mind. Maybe wine and chocolate, or maybe beer and fried food. Maybe you’re a frequent reader, and you’re even thinking about nontraditional sake and food pairings. We’d put a dram of whisky on the line, though, that most people will not automatically go to pairing whisky and food (and if they do, they’re our people and we’ll gladly share a dram with them anyway).

The thing is, whisky (or whiskey) goes great with a variety of food. The characteristic grain bills and barrels, when paired by someone who has spent time with the liquid and the foods involved, can be a wonderful experience. Life changing, even (who’d want to go back to not pairing whisky and food together?). Sure, if it’s done wrong, it might not taste great, but at least there is still whisky and food involved.

whisky and wings — Image used with permission by copyright holder

That’s why we’re here, though: to learn how to pair whisky and food together. And not just any food. Wings. Whether you like ’em hot and spicy or sweet and succulent, wings make a perfect complement to whisky. That’s why we worked with The Balvenie Scotch whisky brand ambassador Gemma Patterson to pair some of our favorite expressions with some delicious wing flavors.

For these pairings, we thought about how the different whiskies would both compare and contrast to the different wings. Did we want heat and sweet to play off of each other? What about the tropical notes that you can find in the rum cask-finished expression? Where does peat fit into everything?

To find out the answers — and to learn how you can amaze your friends with the best new way to serve whisky and wings (both things that are great for sharing) — check out the pairings below and see just how well the flavors go together in the video above!

The Balvenie Doublewood 12 — 1. Pairing 1: The Balvenie Doublewood 12 with Buffalo Chipotle
2. Pairing 2: The Balvenie Caribbean Cask 14 with Mango Habanero
3. Pairing 3: The Balvenie Peat Week 14 with Spicy Pickleback
4. Pairing 4: The Balvenie Portwood 21 with Dry Fire Rub

The Balvenie Caribbean Cask 14 — 1. Pairing 1: The Balvenie Doublewood 12 with Buffalo Chipotle
2. Pairing 2: The Balvenie Caribbean Cask 14 with Mango Habanero
3. Pairing 3: The Balvenie Peat Week 14 with Spicy Pickleback
4. Pairing 4: The Balvenie Portwood 21 with Dry Fire Rub

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Sam Slaughter was the Food and Drink Editor for The Manual. Born and raised in New Jersey, he’s called the South home for…

Food & Drink

The drink of the summer: White Port & Tonic

These Portugese classic is ready for its international debut

Taylor Fladgate Chip Dry White Port & Tonic

Though winter is still in full swing, let's take some joy in looking ahead to summer -- and what we might all be drinking in a few months' time. One drink that's up on professional radars for 2025 is the White Port and Tonic, the unofficial drink of Porto and a low-abv sipper that's big on flavor and refreshingly casual.

I'm personally delighted about this development, as I spent a very happy summer in Porto a few years ago, enjoying the excellent food and drink there as well as the gorgeous ocean views. Something I appreciated about the culture there was that port was absolutely not a stuffy, elite, or terribly expensive drink. Rather it was something to casually sip after finishing a pizza, or something to share with friends sat on a wall overlooking the city. Certainly, more aged and pricey ports are available -- and are interesting to drink in their own right -- but port can also be something relaxed and informal.

Food & Drink

Take your Margarita up a notch with beautiful garnishes, like this bar does

Visual appeal is as important as flavor in creating a great drink

The Gilded Iguana Surf Hotel Margarita

It's Margarita season, and that means you'll be seeing Margarita recipes which incorporate fruits, infused tequilas, and even alternative spirits like mezcal. But if you'd prefer to keep your Margaritas more on the classic side, then there are still changes you can make to fancy them up.

One option is to keep the changes minimal, such as switching out the usual lime juice for lemon juice. That adds a tart, sharp note to the drink, and lemon is a natural partner for tequila. You should also feel free to play with the proportions of tequila, triple sec, and citrus juice to find your own preference, as well as adding a sweetner like simple syrup if required. One thing to remember is that the freshness of your citrus will make a big difference to its flavor, so fresher citrus juice may not require any additional sweetner at all, while if you're using older lemons or limes you might need to help them out with a little additional sugar.

Food & Drink

Pronghorn launched a bourbon matured in Madagascar vanilla extract-soaked cognac casks

Pronghorn's new bourbon is aged in a very unique barrel

Pronghorn

You've likely had your fair share of unique expressions if you're a whiskey drinker. We're talking about whiskeys elevated by maturing or finishing in unique barrels. And very few of those whiskeys are as unique as Pronghorn's newest expression.
Edmond's Honor

This whiskey was made to pay homage to the sometimes overlooked Edmond Albius, the Malagasy botanist and vanilla cultivation pioneer of the 1800s. It's an ultra-premium bourbon that's matured in vanilla extract-soaked cognac casks.