December 10, 2018
They say perfect pairs are made in heaven. Well, not always. Some matches come together on this plane and live on to tell stories of eternal romance. In the spirit of bringing the best together, Vishawatch recently curated an experiential evening starring three best whiskies and watches.
Vested with a responsible yet fun job of pairing three malts from Pernod Ricard’s The Malt Legends (TML) portfolio and Swiss timepieces from Panerai, the concept was enjoyed by connoisseurs and influencers alike.
As the evening unfolded, the perfect pairs became the focal point of conversations wrapping those present in a cosy warmth. Stories from the islands of Scotland and that of Egyptian Navy from the pages of history filled the air with nostalgia. Stories of craft, peat casks, and the complex nature of fine whiskies were told and enjoyed while sipping the liquid gold.
The pairings were showcased to handpicked guests with a creative narrative that caressed the senses. It was a whisky tasting curated in collaboration with TML, Panerai and Ethos Watches.
For the uninitiated, The Malt Legends are the exquisite collection of single malts held by Pernod Ricard India which include — The Glenlivet, Aberlour, Scapa and Longmorn. It is an amalgamation of all single malts that highlights the tales about origin to their craft and showcases what makes these the legends amongst malts. Each of these single malts have their own rich heritage that is respected by whisky experts the world over.
The selection wasn’t random by any stretch of imagination, the three watches were picked after a lot of consultation within the curation team to pair them with the malts which have very unique separate identities. The guests were in treat for an elaborate and aesthetically conducted tasting rituals loaded with visual drama. Let’s have a look! For pictures from the evening click on the slide show at the top.
Luminor Submersible and Scapa Skiren
The Submersible and Scapa were simply made for one another. Scapa is situated on the shores of the island of Orkney in the north of Scotland, below the walls of the distillery lies Scapa Flow, one of the most wild and unpredictable bodies of water in the world. Much like the Submersible the islanders living in Scapa are resistant to extreme conditions and from these conditions they produce a wonderfully sweet and well rounded single malt whisky. Similar to Scapa whisky and as its name clearly hints, the Submersible is deeply connected to the sea. It revives Panerai’s great tradition of epic exploits in the depths of the sea. The design of the bezel is inspired by that of the watch created in 1956 for the Egyptian Navy known as “L’Egiziano”.
Luminor Due and Glenlivet Nadurra
As the Luminor Due is the newest addition to the Panerai family so is the Nadurra for The Glenlivet. This expression has the same expert craft that has gone into every bottle of The Glenlivet for nearly 200 years, the elegance and subtlety of its colour in no way indicate the power of its flavor. The Nadurra has a peated cask finish, rather than using peat at the start of the process, it is used at the end to create a balance of smoke and delicacy, rare to find in many single malts.
Luminor 1950 Equation of Time and Aberlour 18 
Like the Aberlour 18 which brings more “body” to a single malt whisky, this is a watch that brings a more sophisticated side. It’s bold design embodies the brand’s heritage and sporting spirit, but also a complex function which displays the difference between the mean time and the true time indicated by the solar meridian. With its process of double cask maturation Aberlour 18 is one of the most complex whiskies in the portfolio. Its humble origins in the town of Aberlour in 1879 allow this single malt whisky to utilise local ingredients to produce an exquisite and refined flavor.