A few weeks ago it was finally time for the top tasting of a wonderful range of The Macallan whiskies. Following the Puredeluxe competition, 4 couples were invited for a wonderful evening in Knokke, at L’Hôtel Lugano. It would be an unforgettable evening…
In our magazine we have previously reported on the story and history of this beautiful and prestigious Scottish Whisky brand.
We at Puredeluxe have been fans of The Macallan’s whiskies for a while now. Of course, this has everything to do with the way these exclusive whiskies are made. Alongside the River Spey in Scotland, a great deal of craftsmanship, the right ingredients and the patient lagering in top wooden casks goes into the making of the whisky. We could talk about it for hours, but in the end there is nothing better than tasting. And that’s what we were going to do that evening!
thinking out-of-the-box with The Macallan
19h, Knokke: In the beautiful setting of the Boutique Hotel L’Hôtel Lugano, beautifully dressed couples are sitting at the bar that evening. There, none other than Carl Van Droogenbroeck, brand ambassador of The Macallan, awaits our guests. He immediately serves them a delicious cocktail with The Macallan 12 years old, grapefruit juice and tonic. It’s an instant hit and shows that sometimes we have to think out of the box with a whisky. We already see smiling faces everywhere. The friendly host of the on-site restaurant La Terrasse du Zoute invites us for dinner…
Tasting the Differences: The Macallan line-up
A glance at the menu for the evening is promising. But before we enjoy this, Carl is happy to give a masterclass Whisky. Carl’s passion and craftsmanship shines through and we enjoy joining him to taste different expressions of The Macallan. We started with the 12 years old, which is already tasting great. This is the introduction but of a very high standard.
But when we tasted the 15 years old , a other world and a different palette opened up. This whisky shows the effect of a few more years of patience in the cask, allowing the flavours to blend beautifully. The result is a very mellow whisky but at the same time one that still has plenty of length after tasting. The 18 year old whisky was the last whisky. Here we tasted much more complexity, spiciness and layering. Very tasty but at the same time more for the advanced whisky lover. But the cherry on the cake was saved for after dinner.
Culinary indulgence by La Terrasse du Zoute
The chef of the extremely tasty restaurant showed his skills in a beautifully composed menu. As a starter, there was a super tasty polder beef with smoked eel and Imperial Heritage Caviar. A delightful combination. In the main course, we were immediately in the autumn season with a delicious piece of pheasant, fine champagne sauce and cranberries. Plates were almost licked…The dessert was the pièce de résistance with an overwhelming sabayon. Magnificent.
After so many culinary delights, Carl had to come up with something really surprising. And that’s what he did! Carl had brought along a super exclusive bottle for the occasion: The Macallan Reflexion. This unique whisky is made in small sherry casks which gives an intense contact with the wood. We taste an absolute deliciousness with flavours of vanilla but also abricot. Both the colour and the taste of the whisky conquer the heart and soul. Wow, this was really the organic point of this wonderful evening!
Do you want to have lunch or dinner at La Terrasse du Zoute?
Address: Villapad 4, 8300 Knokke-Heist
Website: https://www.laterrasseduzoute.be/home/
And would you like to stay at LHôtel Lugano? You can do that here:
Address: Villapad 4, 8300 Knokke-Heist
Website: https://www.hotellugano.be/hospitality-runs-in-our-dna/
Do you want to discover more great food spots? Take a look at our PureFood page!
