The Moment Scotch Etched Itself Into My Brain

There is something deeply thought-provoking — almost memory-inducing — about Scotch whisky.

A certain nuance, a fleeting scent, can send me flipping through the catalogue section of my Scotch brain. Then the food part of my brain joins the party. Suddenly, two very different worlds collide, creating a pairing that feels almost magical for the taste buds.

The Lightbulb Moment

It was 2012.
I was in the middle of my second year as a Chef de Cuisine — my first time holding that title — and everything felt intense, exciting, and wide open.

I had enjoyed spirits throughout my adult life, but there was a true light-bulb moment when I had Scotch whisky with my father.

We were visiting my brother in San Francisco. One evening, my dad suggested a drink at the hotel bar. He ordered for us: a double of The Macallan 18 Year Old.
(I know, I know. At least it was distilled in the nineties, and the double wasn’t the price of a small car… yet.)

We sat on the patio at dusk. From our seats, the view stretched across the Bay Area — the Golden Gate Bridge glowing on the left, the shipyards of Oakland Harbour on the right. One of those rare moments where everything feels perfectly set.

I lifted the glass and followed my father’s direction: nose first.

That first nosing of the copper liquid felt like something shifting internally: flavour memories rerouting, references waking up.

Then came the first sip.

And in a heartbeat, something changed.

I looked at my Dad and said,
“What is this magical liquid you’ve given me… what the hell is happening to my taste buds?”

That first sip has stayed with me ever since — the harmony, the depth, the richness of a properly sherry-matured Macallan 18.

The conversation that followed was philosophical, eye-opening, and deeply human. And then, inevitably, my chef brain took over.

This can go with food.
This tastes like dessert.
How do I bring these two pleasures together?

From Seed to Obsession

What started as a small seed in 2012 has grown into a full love affair by 2026.

Whisky became more than a drink.
It became memory, storytelling, emotion and possibility.

I want to share that with you. The flavour, the curiosity, the pairings — all of it — in an intimate way.

Where We Begin: Sticky Toffee Pudding

The first pairing I want to share is deeply personal: my grandmother’s sticky toffee pudding with a whisky butterscotch sauce.
(She made it with rum, of course.)

This recipe has lived with me since childhood. I remember the smell and taste vividly — Christmas Day, 1985.

The setting was perfect. Bing Crosby on the radio. Family laughter. Incredible food, the crackling of the fire. That warm holiday feeling that never really leaves you.

What I hope to share here isn’t just recipes or pairings.

It’s the feeling.
The memory.
The moment when flavour becomes a part of a story.

And maybe — if I’m lucky — something here will spark one of yours.

Recipe for Sticky Toffee Pudding

1 1/4 cup all purpose flour

6 tablespoons unsalted

8 oz of dates

1 cup water

2 eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon molasses

1 teaspoon cardamon

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoons of nutmeg

3/4 cup brown sugar

1. Combine water and dates in a small saucepan, bring to a boil and reserve.

2. Grease baking dish with 1 tablespoon of butter.

3. Cream butter and sugar with paddle attachment in a kitchen aid on high till incorporated.

4. Combine all dry ingredients and whisk together in a bowl, reserve.

5. Add 1 egg at time and incorporate to creamed sugar.

6. Add date mixture and incorporate.

7. Add flour mixture and incorporate, make sure to scrape the inside of the bowl.

8. Pour mixture into baking dish.

9. Bake at 350F for 35 minutes.

10. Reserve and cool for 40 minutes before taking out of baking dish

11. Cut into 6 or 8 equal portions, you decide!!

Recipe for Whisky Butterscotch Sauce

3 tablespoons of butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 cup 35% cream

2 oz of Bunnahabain 12 year old

1. Place Whisky in a small sauce pot and bring to boil, then flambé, careful not to lose any arm hair or eyebrows in this process.

2. Melt butter in whisky after flame has died out on medium low heat

3. Whisk in brown sugar

4. Add cream bring to a simmer and cook for 2 minutes.

5. Drizzle on top of the sticky toffee pudding, and serve with vanilla ice cream.

ENJOY!!!!!