You can savor and appreciate a fine whisky on its own, but pairing whisky with food unlocks new taste experiences and elevates any dining occasion.
Distilled 2.81 times in a complex process, and then matured in 100% Pedro Ximenez and Oloroso sherry casks for the full 16 years, the Mortlach 16 Year Old Single Malt Whisky is a unique expression that presents a full body and nutty, floral aromas. To showcase its many facets, five MICHELIN-starred restaurants from the MICHELIN Guide Taipei Taichung 2021, whose specialties cut across global cuisines — Cantonese, Huaiyang/Sichuan, Spanish Contemporary, French Contemporary, and Innovative — have come together to share signature dishes that pair with this Speyside single malt and elevate the dining experience.
Le Palais
Three MICHELIN Stars, MICHELIN Guide Taipei Taichung 2021Located in MICHELIN-recommended Palais de Chine Hotel, Le Palais is the the only three-MICHELIN-starred restaurant in the MICHELIN Guide Taipei Taichung 2021 and is helmed by executive chefs Ken Chan and Matt Chen, who are known for their culinary qualifications and high standards in the kitchen. The chefs’ pursuit of knowledge and constant research and development have resulted in some of the restaurant’s most unique dishes, such as its take on Peking duck, which comes in the form of the Flaming Duck; white gourd stuffed with shrimp and crabmeat, as well as deep-fried cheese pastry.
To pair with the Mortlach 16 Year Old Single Malt Whisky, the restaurant recommends its dish of Braised 6-Head Abalone with Goose Foot and Shiitake Mushroom. Premium abalone is simmered for about eight hours in a stock of old hen, Jinhua ham, pork meat, and ribs, while goose webs are deep-fried, rinsed, and braised in the same stock for two hours. The Shiitake mushrooms and abalone soak up all the gravy for an intense, full savory flavor that is accentuated when paired with the dried fruit fragrance of the Mortlach 16 Years.
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The Guest House
Two MICHELIN Stars, MICHELIN Guide Taipei Taichung 2021Located on the 17th and 18th floors of the MICHELIN-recommended Sheraton Grand Taipei Hotel, The Guest House is famed for its wide range of handmade side dishes, including signatures such as For Ears Only (a dish of marinated pigs’ ear and tongue) and Preserved Egg in Peeled Pepper.
The restaurant recommends pairing the Mortlach 16 Years with its Applewood Smoked Marinated Beef Short Ribs. The short ribs are marinated for a day, and then steamed for two-and-a-half hours before being brushed with a homemade barbecue sauce and roasted in an oven. The ribs are baked for seven minutes, placed in a pan, and coated with flour and sugar before it is smoked over applewood for three minutes. The result is such that each meltingly tender piece of meat is thoroughly infused with flavor and the aroma of applewood; the taste made richer when matched with the light spice and fruitiness of the single malt whisky.
L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon
Two MICHELIN Stars, MICHELIN Guide Taipei Taichung 2021Chef Yohei Matsuo, who took the helm earlier in April, has been with the Robuchon group for about 10 years, bringing with him a strong sense of the Robuchon DNA that prizes high-quality ingredients and attention to detail. This complex philosophy is showcased in the purity of his dishes that also reflect the delicacy of his Japanese cuisine background.
His dish of Chicken with Chateau Chalon Sauce and Mushroom utilizes three parts of Taiwanese Gui Ding chicken: the breast is oven-roasted on its own to prevent the flesh from drying out; the thigh confited to concentrate its flavors, while the wings are caramelized in a frying pan. Each part, cooked to individual perfection, comes together with a rich French sauce made from Chateau Chalon wine and garnished with morel mushrooms and Comté cheese crisps. This dish pairs well with the Mortlach 16 Years, says the chef, explaining how the rich sauce made from the yellow French wine marries both the chicken and whisky while the earthy aromas of the morels and Comté are complemented by the whisky, bringing a fun new experience to the meal.
Molino de Urdániz
One MICHELIN Star, MICHELIN Guide Taipei Taichung 2021Molino de Urdániz is the first overseas outpost of Spanish two-MICHELIN-Starred restaurant El Molino de Urdániz and a reinterpretation of the traditional Spanish specialties that capture the terroir of the Pyrenees mountains and the Algar River near the Atlantic Ocean.
The signature Tartar De Ternera arrives as a two halves of a circle on a plate; the left a white parsnip purée topped with delicate slices of black truffle, and the right is a tartare of Japanese Kagoshima Wagyu beef mixed with shallots, scallions, pepper, and olive oil. Parsnip slices are laid on top and drizzled over with a mustard demi-glace. On the side, beef marrow infused smoked cream is served on the bone, to be enjoyed on its own, with the tartare on bread. The combination with cream, butterfat, and wafers results in a dish that is rich and indulgent in both color and taste, holding up perfectly to the full-bodied Mortlach 16 Year Old Whisky for a complete dining experience.
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Longtail
One MICHELIN Star, MICHELIN Guide Taipei Taichung 2021At Longtail, Hong Kong-born chef Lam Ming Kin, skillfully weaves global inspirations and elements in his cooking. In his dishes, one can begin with a taste of France, travel through Europe, make a pitstop in the United States, and then return to Asia — a rich and unique trajectory of life experiences.
His dish of Charred Foie Gras Dumplings, Sweet Corn, Pecorino, and Kaffir Lime features duck liver and shredded confit duck leg wrapped in Hong Kong-style wonton skin, which is then pan-fried until golden-brown and served with a sauce of sweet corn and rosemary, as well as creamy sheep cheese topped with fresh corn shoots. The fresh and tart aroma of kaffir lime cuts through the richness and fattiness of the foie gras, while the umami-ness of the duck meat and sheep cheese are complemented by the robust and savory notes of the Mortlach 16 Year Old Single Malt Whisky.
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