Buchanans Pineapple

Buchanans Pineapple is listed as a Scotch, and the name points to a pineapple-flavored expression rather than a traditional smoky or peated blend. That changes how to approach it. Expect a lighter, fruit-forward profile: ripe pineapple on the nose and palate, with the soft grain sweetness and gentle vanilla that blended Scotch usually brings. Pronounced peat smoke or heavy sherry-cask spice is unlikely. The exact balance of fruit to whisky is best judged from the first pour. Sipping neat in a small tulip glass such as a Glencairn is the way to learn what the whisky and the fruit are each doing. Flavored whiskies often taste sweeter once chilled, so a rocks glass with one large cube is a good second step. It slows dilution and tones down the sweetness. A few drops of water can help if the fruit comes across as sharp or candied, because it loosens the aromas without much changing the body. Its most natural use is in highballs and other long drinks. Pour it over ice in a tall glass and top with soda water or ginger ale. Ginger's bite offsets the sweetness, while soda keeps the pineapple cleaner and drier. A squeeze of lime helps either version. A Whiskey Sour also suits it: use less sugar than the usual recipe calls for, since the spirit already brings sweetness, and keep the lemon juice and egg white if you like the texture. In an Old Fashioned, a dash or two of aromatic bitters and an orange peel will add some spice and bitterness. Skip the sugar cube entirely, and you can swap the cherry for a wedge of grilled pineapple. A Manhattan is the weakest fit, because sweet vermouth stacked on a sweet spirit tends to taste heavy. For food, think of dishes where pineapple already works: grilled pork, spicy jerk-style chicken, or salty cured meats.