Photo by Jeff Harris
As a child, my favorite dessert, made by my mother, was apple crisp—or at least I thought it was apple crisp. Thanks to that font of information called the internet, years later I discovered that my mother’s dessert was not a crisp, but a crumble. It was definitely neither a cobbler nor a betty.
Apple crisp, arguably the most autumnal of desserts after pumpkin pie, is defined by the addition of oats to the topping. So my mother’s version, which was topped with butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon, was a crumble, while the similar cobbler sports a biscuity rather than a crumbly topping. The related betty likewise eschews oats, sometimes substitutes breadcrumbs, and is often layered.
One thing I am certain about the crisp/crumble of my youth is that neither of my parents ever tried pairing it with a wisely selected whisky. Which, frankly, I think they would have quite enjoyed, even my generally brown spirits-averse mother.
Having essayed a number of different whiskies with apple, peach, and cherry crisps, I arrived at a pair of general guidelines. The first is that spicy bourbons and rich but not especially rye-forward Canadian whiskies work best for all-round pairing, each boasting a sweetness that allows the spirit to shine despite the sugary, cinnamon-accented fruitiness of the dish. The second is that the best pairings can be different depending on whether the crisp is served hot out of the oven or cold from the fridge.
Peach crisp, for example, is a natural partner for bourbon, which deliciously accompanies pretty much anything that features peach or peach flavors, but deserves a different sort of bourbon depending upon its temperature. When warm or hot, the cinnamon provides a big olfactory accent to the sugar and fruit, so the dessert benefits from a partnership with a mildly to moderately spicy bourbon such as Buffalo Trace or Four Roses Small Batch. When cold, however, the fresh peach flavor shines more brightly, calling for a more intense malt and grain character in the accompanying whiskey.
While both bourbon and Canadian whisky fare quite well alongside apple, the classic of the crisp family, a surprise improvement on the pairing is provided by a rich Irish whiskey, with single pot still faring ably, but Irish single malt excelling as a partner to the apple and spice of the dessert. Served cold, apple crisp also provides an exception to the second of the above rules, with the Irish malt unsurpassed as a companion beverage.
A cherry crisp will yield different results depending upon whether it is made with fresh or canned cherries, the latter packed in a syrup that makes them notably sweeter. For fresh fruit, served hot, a rich, caramel and vanilla-forward Canadian option like Crown Royal XO performs most admirably, while the raisin and spice of a sherried scotch single malt better balances the elevated cherry flavors when the dish is cold. Perhaps counterintuitively, in the presence of the extreme sweetness of canned cherries, a straight rye serves better as a contrasting flavor, muting the intensity of the sugar syrup and adding a welcome note of peppery spice.
Cold Peach Crisp with Chattanooga 91 Straight Bourbon
The three malts used in the whiskey provide a complex sweetness that elevates and accentuates the fresh peach flavors of the dish.
Hot Apple Crisp with Bushmills 16 year old Irish Single Malt
The port pipe finish of the whiskey adds depth and fruit to the dessert, while the apple brings forward the fruitiness of the malt.
Cold Cherry Crisp made with fresh cherries and Dalmore 12 year old Sherry Cask Select
The chocolaty dried fruit and cinnamon of the whisky meet the sweetness of the fruit, and create a celebration of cherry and spice.
