As the temperatures plunge and the nights draw in, we need a little drop of something warm alongside our cheeseboards. A spirit which truly comes into its own in winter is whisky; it demands a cosy chair by a gently flickering fire, and late night conversations with friends and family.

Whisky is a sipping drink with complex aromas and much like wine, the flavours in whisky are multi-layered, so they pair just as well with cheese. We’ve hopped across the pond this year to find a mouth-watering ultra-smooth rye whisky to pair with our Buttery Clothbound Cheddar. 

Harking back to pre-prohibition New York, this pairing conjures up dreams of sipping Manhattan cocktails, with jazz music softly playing in the background.

HUDSON MANHATTAN RYE WHISKEY

With a strong heritage partnered with modern innovation, Tuthilltown Distillers is New York’s first whisky distillery to open since the prohibition. Resurrecting an Empire State classic, they’re bringing small batch spirit production back to the Hudson Valley with their Rye Whisky, made by hand using grain harvested less than 10 miles away from the distillery.

VIBRANTLY BOLD, SPICY AND BACKWOODS RUSTIC, WITH A SMIDGEN OF HONEY AND COCONUT.

As you slowly sip a dram or two, they say it’s good old American ingenuity that you can taste. Smooth and balanced, this is not your grandfather’s harsh tipple. Bottled at 92 proof, this is honest rye whiskey – spicy and rustic, yet satisfyingly smooth.

BUTTERY CLOTHBOUND CHEDDAR

For a new age in whisky, our youngest cheddar is a mouth-watering match. It may be the baby of our range but it’s not to be overlooked, having recently won a highly acclaimed Bronze award at the World Cheese Awards. Quicke’s Buttery Clothbound Cheddar is typically matured for just 3 months, capturing the intensely buttery flavour found at this early stage of maturing; it’s a perfect expression of our rich creamy milk.