It has become quite the tradition for the Whisky Club Luxembourg A.s.b.l. to invite their members and guests for a summerly Whisky Dinner at the Sofitel Kirchberg; this was the case also on 18 June this year, with an oriental themed dinner and the whiskies to match.

The evening’s purveyor of liquid entertainment for the over 100 guests was the Luxembourg company Ets L. Rossi which has been established in Luxembourg for a long time, and the selection was, as later discovered, much to the guests' liking. Some also took the opportunity and acquired a bottle of the earlier tasted dram.

In the huge foyer the piper offered some traditional Scottish tunes, an ideal setting for an indoor apéritif, with some Dewar’s whisky and the guests were waiting expectantly for the small glasses with the amber liquid, always combined with an excellent dish from the hotel's own kitchen.

The quality of the selected whisky, with some lesser known names to the audicience, was only matched with the delightful culinary experience. With an emphasis on their Speyside origin, the Mannochmore 14 years of age underlined the hearty notes of the pigeon pastille while its neighbour (Aultmore 12 years of age) matched the marine taste (Gambas soup with perfumed coco milk and galangal). Still from the sea, a fillet of bass required the more delicate flavours of another Speysider (Craigellachie 17 years of age, a delicious dram). To cool of the taste buds after this, an Aberfeldy 12 years of age was provided alongside a sorbet of bergamot and fresh raspberry. Guests rapidly discovered that a few drops of whisky in the sorbet even enhanced the experience.

While usually paired with a strong red wine, the duck breast which was prepared at low temperature was matched with a whisky finished in wine casks (Glenrothes Old Malt Cask 1997 18 years of age). For the more sweet spots of the evening, and a deviation from Scotch towards the Green Island of Ireland, a melon soup with basil, fresh strawberries and a pistachio Danish pasty was presented with a 12 year old Irish whiskey (The Irishman 12 years of age).

One could feel the tension rising in the huge foyer just before the final dram of the evening, a Scottish islander from Tobermory distillery (Tobermory Old Malt Cask 1994) was gladly enjoyed by all guests and a final round of applause was well deserved for this particular dram as well.

For further information on the Whisky Club Luxembourg, visit www.whiskyclublux.com