Every first Monday of the month, an interesting topic will be addressed during the Monday Talks between Carl Van Droogenbroeck, brand ambassador of CCEP Premium Spirits and a guest speaker who is an expert in the relevant topic. This conversation will take place over a glass of delicious single malt whisky. On Monday August 2nd Raymond Tanghe of Royal Belgian Caviar came by for a glass of Highland Park 25YO and paired it with some caviar. Read our learnings below and you will understand why our mouths were watering while listening to this Monday Talk!
Maybe first a short introduction about Raymond Tanghe and Royal Belgian Caviar? Raymond Tanghe has been working for Royal Belgian Caviar for six years and is therefore certainly the expert when it comes to caviar. He knows everything about the reproduction of sturgeons, the harvesting and production of caviar, the packaging and finally the distribution of the caviar. This is because at Royal Belgian Caviar they carry out the complete production process in house. This way they can guarantee their exclusive quality. On the one hand, the eggs are never mixed with another species and, on the other hand, the eggs are packed within 20 minutes of being harvested. This means that the caviar remains in a vacuum can until the customer opens it. This allows the maturation process to proceed slowly, releasing subtle flavours. In order to obtain the typical, exclusive taste of caviar, the cultivation process and preparation must be flawless. This requires a lot of skill and expertise. With an ultrasound, the quality of the eggs of each sturgeon is checked, because only sturgeons with the perfect egg quality are used. The food and the cultivation conditions of the sturgeons also determine the taste. Acovered nursery ensures that the water quality can be perfectly controlled. This allows them to grow and harvest throughout the year. Based on years of experience, Royal Belgian Caviar developed its own sturgeon food from wild fish, as this is what sturgeons eat in the wild. Royal Belgian Caviar really goes to extremes to obtain a product that is closest to wild caviar.
Nothing worthwhile comes easily. A saying Highland Park took from their ancestors, Vikings who settled in Orkney over 1,000 years ago. Moreover, Highland Park is one of the few distilleries that still carries out the entire process itself. They even go so far as to turn their malt by hand. Isn’t that amazing? And doesn’t this remind us a bit of how Royal Belgian Caviar goes through the entire production process itself? That is exactly why this special single malt is paired with the caviar of Royal Belgian Caviar. Both companies work withpassion and a certain skill that can be found in the products. The 25 year old Highland Park is also the only whisky in the world ever to achieve 100/100 in a whisky competition.
And now the pairing with the 25-year-old Highland Park which is typified byspicy flavours. This single malt is produced in seasoned European oak casks. Over time, each cask develops its own character, culminating in a brilliant flavour profile of rich vanilla and honey contrasting with the Orkney peat and the silver flavour. Royal Belgian Caviar hasfive varieties of caviar: White Pearl, Platinum, Belluga, Osietra and Gold Label. The Gold Label is harvested after six years, the Platinum after 8 years and the Osietra after 10 years. Hence the price difference in the different types of caviar. The Gold Label caviar of Royal Belgian Caviar is a caviar of the Siberian sturgeon and is known for its soft texture and creaminess.
Once paired with the Highland Park, it seems as if this caviar was made for this glass of whisky. The Highland Park does not take the upper hand. The creaminess and full flavour of the caviar are still present. When pairing two products it is important to find two nuances which enrich each other. The second pairing was with the Platinum caviar which is a cross between the Siberian sturgeon and theRussian sturgeon. It has a slightly lighter colour and you will notice a more nutty taste which creates a surprising effect that makes the pairing unique.
The third and final pairing is with the Osietra, the most exclusive of the three with the yellow label. It is a caviar of theRussian sturgeon. This pearl stands out the most with its combination of mineral flavour and nutty aromas. According to Carl Van Droogenbroeck, this caviar is, because of these mineral flavours, the most interesting pairing with the Highland Park 25 years old. The Osietra goes well with all kinds of tartare, such as steak tartare and langoustine tartare, but also with very mineral tasting fish. The Platinum also goes well with very simple recipes, such as burrata with caviar and perhaps a little olive oil, but that’s all you need.
Please mark your calendar for the next Monday Talk by Martin Markvardsen, the global ambassador of Highland Park, who will explain their production process. Highland Park is one of the few producers who still takes care of the whole malting process themselves.
All information about Royal Belgian Caviar and where it is available can be found here: https://royalbelgiancaviar.be/
All the information about Highland Park can be found here: https://www.highlandparkwhisky.com/en
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