The ‘Art of Time’: Pairings perfected over time

The primary objective of pairing one whisky with varied cuisines was to bring out the perfect harmony between the two, by showcasing legacy foods with a spirit that has benefitted from the power of time

Some of the world’s oldest crafts have, over time, matured into products of unrivalled perfection. The first examples of jewellery for instance that date back to ancient Egypt, have spawned a host of luxury jewellery houses like Cartier — known for producing extravagant gems of the highest quality and most adroit arrangement. The art of perfumery is another example, where fragrances that began in ancient Mesopotamia, Egypt, the Indus Valley Civilisation and possibly Ancient China, graduated from the use of aromatic plants to a blend of flowers, mosses, resins and synthetics in order that fragrances evaporated slowly and their scent lingered. In 1921, a perfume was launched that made use of aliphatic aldehydes to add a sparkly top note to its base of rose and jasmine. The perfume was called Chanel No. 5 and it was the first to become an iconic brand.

Cuisine was also refined and developed through the centuries. France was the place that saw the birth of both haute and nouvelle cuisine. The first is the traditional cuisine of world-famous chefs, while the latter is a modern cuisine where younger and not-so-young chefs experiment with new associations of ingredients as well as ways cooking them. In India, historical accounts reveal that Humayun brought Persian influences to the Mughal table while his Iranian wife Hamida, introduced the lavish use of saffron and dry fruits into the royal kitchens during the first half of the 16th century.

THE DISTILLERY Where whiskies benefit from the power of time

SANDEEP ARORA India's pioneering whisky ambassador and Director of Spiritual

Luxury Living

As time went on, beverages and spirits began to evolve and the art of distillation spread to Scotland and Ireland. The oldest licensed distillery, Bowmore, in Islay, has been one of the world’s foremost places for whisky and one of Scotland’s five whisky regions protected by law.

A global campaign, ‘The Art of Time’ tells the story of Bowmore’s whisky, its exceptional quality and how its whiskies benefit from the power of time, becoming even more beautiful and precious over the years. Perfectly timed fermentation periods, hand-selection of casks as well as care and attention to detail is what creates the complex balance of not just mild smokiness, but also maritime minerality and fresh stone fruit notes, which are so characteristic of Bowmore’s timeless house style. This is the reason why Bowmore whiskies age like no others, making them one of the world’s most collectible Islay malts today.

Amongst life’s most fascinating experiences is matching whisky flavours with food aromas that either enhance the taste or contrast with it. From a humble beginning in the early nineties at elitist tables with a small group of enthusiasts, the concept of food pairing has come into its own.

I introduced this concept to India in March 2007 and it seems there has been no looking back. Pairing planned well is a very dignified and enriching experience and as such, I wanted to re-live the experience and undertake an intimate voyage, pairing one whisky with varied cuisines. The primary objective was to bring out the perfect harmony between the two, by showcasing foods that been perfected over time. I also wanted to see how dishes that have been served over a long time, which embody the ‘Art of Time’, paired with an elegant single malt.

The whisky of choice was the Bowmore 12 YO, with its slight smoky, citrus and mellow honey notes. This is a complex and balanced whisky with a 40 per cent ABV. It has puffs of peat smoke and pools of honey, sharpened by lemon zest. Subtle lemon and sweet heather honey complement Bowmore’s trademark peat smoke, leading to a delicious, long and mellow finish. Bowmore is the oldest licensed distillery, on Islay and tells the tale of time.

I structured the ‘The Art of Time’ voyage in such a way that the tasting notes married well with the cuisine and dishes that had legacy attached to them. On our journey we paired signature dishes that offer a harmony of flavours and also embody the Art of Time. The pairings made a good whisky a grand experience!

AMONGST LIFE’S MOST FASCINATING EXPERIENCES IS MATCHING WHISKY FLAVOURS WITH FOOD AROMAS THAT EITHER ENHANCE THE TASTE OR CONTRAST WITH IT

CASK MANAGEMENT

An important factor that imparts Bowmore its characteristic aromas

RText by Karishma Kuenzang

Photos shot exclusively for HT Brunch by Prabhat Shetty

ahul Vasandani grew up wanting to be a footballer. This drew his attention to fitness. Today, at 24, he’s been the head chef at a restaurant but is better known for his fitness sessions and healthy food Reels.

Dr Siddhant Bhargava, 26, comes from a family of doctors. But he lost interest in formal medicine when he was diagnosed with lupus in his fifth year of medical school. Today, he’s one of the four partners at Food Darzee, a healthy kitchen, plans diets for celebrities like Alia Bhatt and is known for his super informative medical Reels.

These two young men symbolise the new way in which careers are perceived these days: not as treadmills with an upward incline, but as the foundations for vocations that might branch in different directions, bringing in good money via social media.

“My personal brand without social media would have been impossible. Yes, my number does get passed on in the celebrity circuit, but apart from social media I wouldn’t have grown,” says Dr Siddhant.

“I randomly met someone I had known in school who was also into fitness, and we sat there cribbing about how our mothers won’t let us get chicken into the house. That’s when the idea of Food Darzee was born,” says Siddhant.

But that was just the beginning. “Food Darzee would not have been possible without social media because traditional media doesn’t give you tangible range. The product moves via word of mouth but new customer acquisition outside of word

of mouth has to happen through social media.”

For Rahul, social media has given him a boost in reaching a larger audience and showcasing his skills. “It’s also a great and much easier way to connect with people directly. Had it not been for social media, I would probably be doing the same thing but the reach would be lesser,” he adds.

Rahul fell in love with food while aiming to be fit. “My parents called me bawarchi when I started to cook eight years ago and delivered cheat meals on my cycle!” he says. After a few months, Rahul did a degree in nutrition and then went to Puducherry to live on a farm.

A DIFFERENT ERA

Today, says Rahul, things are different from a decade ago. “Youtube and Instagram can increase passive income. I do fitness training and my chef work,” he says.

He enjoyed being a head chef at 24, but didn’t want to do it forever. “My goal is to do something more — feed as many people as possible and solve issues like wastage of food, and release an app called Belly,” he adds.

Siddhant’s family was disappointed when at the age of 21, he decided to refocus on food.

“My father was sure my business wouldn’t succeed,” he says. “As a doctor you know you’ll earn good money at 35, but soon I could tell my dad I was earning more than him. Parentchildren relationships have changed too. They listen to logical reasoning these days.”

But the main thing that has changed for millennials and the generations that come after is the idea of expectations. “The fame we want to

–DR SIDDHANT BHARGAVA

achieve, the money we want to earn, the kind of life we want lead us to do different things. This generation wants more. Even our expectations of happiness are different,” says Siddhant.

HOPES, DREAMS AND BOUNDARIES

This ensures that youngsters these days push boundaries in every aspect, including social media.

“Everything you didn’t think was a profession is now legit. This belief will only get larger, but so will the pressure of performance and expectations,” Siddhant warns, adding, “Social media can end up building an alternative career for you because once you move into social media influencing,