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The Macallan Double Cask 12 Years Old is a great gift this holiday. It is available at all government-owned liquor stores across Canada for a pretty affordable price of under $100. The price will fluctuate from province to province, but this smooth Scotch is at a great price point that won’t disappoint.

Taste

It has a golden sun colour to it. As you take your first wiff, you can really smell creamy butterscotch with a hint of toffee apple, candied orange, vanilla custard and newly felled oak on the nose. It’s very aromatic!

When you take a few sips, it has hints of honey, wood spices and citrus, balanced with raisins and caramel. As you finish your sip, the Oak lingers, which is warm and sweet at the back of your throat.

We prefer to have it neat so you can really take in the flavours of the The Macallan Double Cask 12 Years Old. Of course, you can have it on the rocks or alternatively a dram of it to your coffee or tea. The vanilla custard notes go well with crème-brûlée or pumpkin pie at the end of the meal.

Charcuterie Board Pairings

Of course you can’t just have a glass of Scotch without some delicious accompaniment. You can get cheesey with a simple charcuterie board to have a few nibbles before dinner begins.

To accentuate the butterscotch and caramel flavours of The Macallan Double Cask 12 Years Old, they suggest a young manchego, French sheep’s milk cheese, or any earthy pecorino.

If you can’t find those at your local grocery store, you can go with some light cheeses like a light Brie or light Cheddar. It gives a nice mouthfeel without overpowering the Scotch.

It’s a great way to enjoy the Scotch, have some bites while continuing your conversations with friends and family.

Pasa-Doble: A Classic Coaktail Twist

You can also make cocktails with The Macallan Double Cask 12 Years Old. This is a take on the classic Old Fashioned with American style, distinct European flair and a clever Canadian twist. It’s perfect for the holidays.

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/3 oz. The Macallan Double Cask 12 Years Old
  • 1/2 oz.  Amontillado Sherry
  • Pinch of smoked salt
  • Drizzle of Canadian maple syrup

Instructions:

  1. Add all ingredients and ice to a mixing glass. Stir gently with a bar spoon for 10 seconds.
  2. Strain into an ice-filled Old Fashioned glass. 

Final Thoughts

The Macallan Double Cask 12 Years Old is good on its own and paired with a charcuterie plate, or turned into a cocktail. It’s versatile and at a great price point. Highly recommended!

Website:
https://www.themacallan.com/en

Eau Claire Distillery is Canada’s premier craft distillery, offering a true farm-to-glass experience just 35 minutes southwest of downtown Calgary. Eau Claire prides itself in sourcing locally-farmed ingredients known and respected in Alberta’s agriculture community.

For the holidays, they released their seasonal Christmas Gin, which is flavoured with Frankincense and Myrrh — two of the three ancient wise men gifts.

Since gold is hardly digestible, and the ancient spices of Frankincense and myrrh were viewed as both priceless and flavorful, Eau Claire Distillery decided to make their traditional London-style Gin with these two unique botanicals.

Specially formulated for the holiday season, the spice resins give the a gin a beautiful mouth feel with a hint of almost a lemony, balsamic taste. It’s pretty good in making cocktails to go with cranberry juice or with iced tea. Even a classic gin and tonic will go well with it.

You can only get this shipped within Canada or at select shops. If you are a gin drinker and you’re looking for something unique, I think you’ll enjoy their take on the Christmas Gin.

Website: https://eauclairedistillery.ca/spirits/christmas-gin/

 

A week ago, Roman and I attended the Monplaisir Macaron Sampling held at the Best Western Plus Chateau Granville Hotel. We met Jean-Marc Mons and his wife, Elizabeth, who were in town to get the word out about their French macarons.

Proudly made in Calgary, Monplaisir offers delicious, delicate and decadent macarons. What makes Monplaisir stand out from the rest, is that the macarons are 100% local, natural, and gluten-free.
The ingredients used to make the macarons do not contain any:

  • animal gelatin
  • preservatives
  • additives
  • trans fat

This makes for guilt-free indulging. When asked about how long it took to perfect their macaron recipe, Jean-Marc said six months. Roman and I could tell that a lot of care and love went into making them, as we tasted their Pistachio Macaron, Monplaisir’s best-selling flavour. The cookie shells were light and delicate, but perfectly held together while biting into them. They did not crumble like other macarons we’ve tried; these had the right amount of chewiness. The pistachio-flavoured filling was smooth and creamy. Jean-Marc and Elizabeth said that out of their 22 flavours, they usually sell-out of Pistachio, and now we know why!

I also tried the White Chocolate and Raspberry, and I was not disappointed. The White Chocolate was so pretty, with it’s light blue and cream-coloured cookie shells. Its center was smooth and not overly sweet. The Raspberry had tiny bits of raspberry in the cream filling, which enhanced the overall flavour. Needless to say that these macarons were some of the best we’ve ever had!

Jean-Marc and Elizabeth are looking for partnerships within Vancouver, so be on the lookout for Monplaisir. Currently, the website allows for online ordering and shipping only within Calgary.

Website: http://s502259531.onlinehome.us/wordpress/