Pairing Whisky And Oysters

By Richard Thomas

During the more than a decade I spent living in Washington, DC, I learned to have one more reason to anticipate the coming of autumn: oysters were in season in the Chesapeake Bay. As I learned in year after year of gorging on oysters on the half shell, the best drink to pair with them is whisky.

Note how I spelled that without the “e,” not even putting the “e” in parenthesis. In my mind, single malt Scotch holds the best options for imbibing alongside a plate of oysters. As particular types of oysters have different characteristics, they call for different kinds of Scotch. Here are some pairing options for the oysters you’ll encounter most often. But first…

What If There Is No Single Malt?

Just because you’ve found a good raw bar does not necessarily mean they’ll have a good selection of Scotch to go with it. This plain fact is sad, true and in need of widespread rectification, but for the moment it must be accepted and adjusted to.

Thankfully, you can make do with some American Whiskeys. If so, there are three rules to follow: keep it simple; lighter and drier is better; and avoid big, bold and high proof. The last thing you want to do is pair your oysters with some cask proof, oaky vanilla bomb that will both clash with and overwhelm the oysters. Try a bourbon like Old Granddad or Basil Hayden, or perhaps a rye whiskey like Sazerac or Old Overholt.

Scotch And Oysters

Chesapeake Bay Oysters and Old Pulteney 12 Year Old
The Chesapeake Bay’s oysters come in many regional varieties, each with it’s own twist, but their general reputation holds true throughout: these are well-balanced, with light salinity. Scotland has a lot of marine-oriented single malts, but few are as well-rounded as Old Pulteney 12. It’s a little smoky and a little salty, but also fruity and spicy. It both compliments the best qualities of Chesapeake oysters while also serving as a palate cleanser.

Olympia Oysters and Talisker 10 Year Old
The oysters from the Pacific Northwest are noted for their celery salt and mushroom-like taste. Time to reach for something smoky and saline to match the marine side of these oysters from Oregon and Washington, but also something that will play off the meaty mushroom flavors. Talisker 10 Year Old’s combination of light smoke, sea spray and fruitiness has it all covered.

Bluepoints and Skapa Skiren
The bluepoint oysters of Long Island Sound are the stuff of historic legend, renowned for their clear, briny flavor. If you want clean ocean in a shell, this is the oyster you ask for. With so much salinity already in the shell, you want a marine single malt that doesn’t have even a hint of sea spray, and that would be Skapa Skiren.

European Flat Oysters and Oban 14 Year Old
For Americans, the big, flat oysters of Europe with their somewhat smoky, somewhat metallic flavor is quite a leap. Whereas most oysters lean at least a little on the sea, these lean industrial. Oban has the smoke too, but also a sweet, spiciness that will glide over the metal.