Give Talisker whisky or a gift box from the Cheese Geek – or both
Attention, kids of all ages!
With Father’s Day (Sunday 21 June 2020) not far off, it’s time to start thinking about what to get that special Dad in your life.
And if that special Dad is you, it’s definitely worth giving a subtle pointer to your offspring (or buy it yourself…!) (ed. So, Talisker Whisky, Cheese and Beer for you?)
The Ozzy cheesebox from the Cheese Geek
The Cheese Geek describe themselves as the Modern Cheesemonger, demystifying the world of cheese, offering curated cheese boxes as one-offs or on an ongoing, subscription basis. For Father’s Day, they’ve put together three special boxes, each of which pair super British cheeses, hard, soft and blue, with great beers or wines.
Taking a closer look at one of the three, the Ozzy (£40 incl. delivery) contains good-sized chunks of three world-class cheeses and three of the best beers from south London’s Gypsy Hill Brewery.
Cheese one is Pitchfork, a year-old Cheddar made in Somerset using traditional cloth-binding techniques and with ‘’Cheddaring’’ by hand. Pitchfork is full-bodied and dense but it’s delicately flavoured and creamy, softer than other Cheddars.
It’s, therefore, no surprise that Pitchfork did so well at the 2019 World Cheese Awards, coming fourth overall and being named Best British Cheese and Best Cheddar.
As a pairing, Gypsy Hill Brewery’s Hepcat IPA (4.6%) with its fruity aroma perfectly complements Pitchfork’s savoury notes and hints of tropical fruit.
Cheese two is Rollright, Best Soft Cheese at the Great British Cheese Awards 2016. Made in the Cotswolds, it’s been compared to a Reblochon. Buttery and superbly oozy, it’s delicious, moreish, and probably the pick of the three kinds of cheese in the Ozzy.
Rollright is a good beer cheese, as malts aren’t overwhelmed by the cheese’s robust, bacon-flavoured rind (‘’washed’’ to encourage bacteria to produce a distinctive taste). Bandit (3.8%), a light, gluten-free Pale Ale, nicely enhances the cheese’s flavours with its fruity and floral notes.
Cheese three is Bath Blue, champion at the 2014 World Cheese Awards, a creamy, gentle Stilton-style, classic cheese, not too salty, and a bit nutty.
For this one, the Cheese Geek pairs Hunter (4.8%), a lager made with premium malts and hops, lightly bitter, spicy and really rather good.
To eat these cheeses, you really only need your fingers, but for the more civilised who like a cracker, the Ozzy includes the great-tasting (and award-winning) Peter’s Yard Original Sourdough Crispbread. Baked to a traditional Swedish recipe using simple, natural ingredients, they’re the experts’ choice. 
If that’s not enough for you, for an extra few pounds you can add the Three Gees (£6), a set of three preserves – Rambunctious Red Onion & Port marmalade to go with pretty much any hard cheese, Barnstorming Brandy & Pear for blue cheeses and Champion Cherry & Amaretto for soft cheese.
Ordering the Ozzy or any of the other great-looking boxes is easy, just go on-line and choose your preferred delivery date. For Father’s Day, the latest the Cheese Geek can take orders is 10 am on Thursday 18th June.
Given that each cheese in the Ozzy is delicious, seriously high-achieving and award-winning, this gift box is very good value and more importantly, it’s sure to put a happy smile on Dad’s face on Father’s Day.
Talisker 10 Year Old Single Malt Whisky
Something else which will definitely make Dad’s face light up on Father’s Day is a bottle of premium Talisker 10-Year-Old Single Malt Scotch (45.8%) (price varies).
Presented in a handsome box, Talisker 10 Year Old is the perfect gift for any Dad who wants to start exploring (maybe he’s on his way to being a Whisky Geek?) the wide range of smoky, single malt whiskies from the Scottish isles. Or he already enjoys great whisky.
And it can go really well with cheese!
Rightly regarded as a classic, Talisker whisky comes from the oldest distillery on the remote, windswept, rugged but beautiful, Isle of Skye. 
Given that most of us won’t be visiting Skye any time soon, a glass of Talisker brings Skye to you. Made next to the sea since 1830, its taste and smell strongly evoke the Isle of Skye itself.
Double distillation creates Talisker’s distinctive, complex character. It then sits for at least 10 years in American oak casks to mature and evolve further. Its aromas and flavours of sea-water mix with peat-smoke and delightful notes of sweetness, then give way to a peppery finish to leave you with a glow of satisfaction.
It’s no surprise Talisker 10 Year Old has won multiple awards, including the Double Gold medal at the 2017 San Francisco World Spirits Competition and Best Islands Single Malt at the 2017 World Whiskies Awards, this really is a whisky of the highest quality.
How best to enjoy this glass of Scottish nectar is of course up to individual taste. Neat is preferable but to experience its subtlety properly, Talisker 10 Year Old should be allowed to breathe for a while, like wine, to let a bit of air loosen and soften its flavours. Adding just a little water has a similar effect.
As a food pairing, Talisker says that the whisky is superb with smoked salmon and brown bread but it can go really well with cheese, particularly those which have a bit more character. Talisker 10 Year Old works well with salty cheese, such as mature cheddar or a blue.
Celebrated Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson once wrote “The king o’ drinks, as I conceive it, Talisker, Isla or Glenlivet!” so perhaps it’s not surprising that it pairs well with Stilton the “king of English cheeses”.
So, that’s two Father’s Day suggestions for the Big Cheese in your family. Either Talisker whisky or a gift box from the Cheese Geek would be a great choice – both would be even better!
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