The Balvenie, maker of one of the world’s most handcrafted single malt Scotch whisky, is collaborating with Madame Fan and Garibaldi in a special passion project. This is hardly surprising as the brand is always interested in extending the enjoyment of its whiskies.
The collaborations are about the crafting of fine cuisine of course. More importantly, they underscore the fact that crafting whisky appreciation goes beyond making the whisky itself. The project sees Madame Fan and Garibaldi create exclusive limited time dishes inspired by The Balvenie 14 Year Old Caribbean Cask and The Balvenie 21 Year Old PortWood.
“The heart and passion that goes into creating each expression is what defines craftsmanship at The Balvenie. We’re excited to partner with amazing individuals like chefs Mike Tan and Roberto Galetti to create something truly special together,” said regional brand ambassador Brett Bayly. “We hope to generate greater interest and appeal for whisky-paired dining experiences.”
The Balvenie x Madame Fan: Creativity through Craftsmanship
At Madame Fan, executive chef Mike Tan is challenging himself to match his modern Chinese cuisine with each of The Balvenie whisky expressions. His Whisky Xiao Long Bao uses a small measure of the 14 year old single malt in the marination of the pork within the soup dumpling. And it successfully brings out the flavours that pair perfectly with the fruitiness of The Balvenie 14 Year Old Caribbean Cask.
Chef Tan’s second dish, Bridges, highlights the intricate art of Cantonese soup-making. It’s a subtle yet complex dish that marries the worlds of Chinese cuisine and The Balvenie 21 Year Old PortWood. If you like the sweetness of seafood, you will love the Alaskan King Crab poached in a stock accentuated by the same whisky.
“After being a chef for 30 years, the most important thing for me is to have strict control over the ingredients you select, because ingredients are the soul of the dish,” he said.
The Balvenie x Garibaldi: A Delicate Balance of Multiple Flavours
Roberto Galetti, executive chef and owner of Garibaldi, first studied the characters that define each of The Balvenie whisky expressions. He then applied his experience to identify complementary flavours. Therefore, diners can expect his dishes to balance delicate flavour nuances that complement the complexities and richness of The Balvenie whiskies.
In his first dish, chef Galetti incorporates fresh figs and toasted almonds to match the fruitiness and nuttiness of the whisky. The result is a dish that is neither overly smoky nor too light. He manages to achieve a subtle and artful balance that draws out the complexity and smoothness of The Balvenie 21 Year Old PortWood.
Chef Galetti’s second dish features an interesting combination of flavours. These include vanilla scented potato gnocchi to add a subtle fragrance. The aromatic brilliance comes through when it is paired with The Balvenie 14 Year Old Caribbean Cask. The fattiness of the Chilean seabass melted down from the richness of the Caribbean Cask is simply divine. But here chef Galetti also introduces salty, crisped ham to complete the textural harmony of the dish.
Hurry. The limited time dishes at Madame Fan are available until 30 November, while the exclusive dishes at Garibaldi begin on 20 November, remaining available through December. Madame Fan is located at 32 Beach Road, South Beach Tower. Garibali is nestled at 36 Purvis Street.
To learn more about The Balvenie, see here.
For for a no-nonsense guide to whisky, see here.