Scotch

The Perfect Scotch Whiskies To Celebrate Burns Night 2024

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By Joseph V Micallef

Robert Burns (1759-1796), is Scotland’s National Bard. He was a poet and lyricist who wrote in both Scottish and English, and remains to this day a Scottish cultural icon and a bedrock of Scotland’s national identity. Among his many compositions are Auld Lange Syne, A Red, Red Rose, Tam O’ Shanter and, of course, Address to a Haggis.

Five years after his death, a group of his devoted friends gathered together to celebrate his life and work. The tradition caught on and came to be celebrated on or around his birthday of January 25. That date, often referred to as Robert Burns Day, has become Scotland’s unofficial National Day. In fact, it’s more widely celebrated in Scotland than the official national observance of St Andrew’s Day.

At the heart of the celebration is the Burn’s Supper or Burns Night—a traditional Scottish dinner typically accompanied by numerous drams of Scotland’s whisky.

Robert Burns
Robert Burns PHOTO, COURTESY WIKIPEDIA/NAYSMITH

The traditional Burns Supper begins with a soup course. This is usually a classic Scottish soup like Scotch broth, potato soup, Cullen skink (a thick Scottish soup made of smoked haddock, potatoes and onions) or cock-a-leekie (a soup dish consisting of leeks and peppered chicken stock).

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5 of the best whisky tastings in Edinburgh

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Looking to enjoy a whisky tasting in Edinburgh? Here are five of the best places to go

.Scotch whisky and the capital go hand and hand, and as you’d expect by the sheer numbers of bars and shops dedicated to Scotland’s national drink, there are plenty of places to sample a dram or two.Here are five of our favourite places for whisky tasting in Edinburgh.

The Scotch Whisky Experience

(354 Castlehill, The Royal Mile, Edinburgh, EH1 2NE)

If you are a whisky fan then the first stop on any visit to the capital (other than the always amazing Cadenhead’s shop), has to be The Scotch Whisky Experience.Truly immersive, you’ll learn all about the story of whisky and enjoy multiple options for drams.From the short and sweet Silver Tour all the way through to Platinum, which offers 90 minutes of whisky tasting and tutoring, there are tours to suit everyone and almost every budget.But if you’re looking for something more exclusive and plan on visiting with a group of ten, there are a number of more premium experiences also available.You can enjoy a Private Tutored Tasting for £40 per person or opt for the Blend Your Own experience to create your own whisky to bottle and take home for £70 per person.Alternatively, for those who are fascinated by Scotland’s rich distilling history there’s the Super Premium Whisky Tasting. Including four drams from vintage casks, the tasting will be led by a ‘Keeper of the Quaich’ and each experience is bespoke. It can be held for a minimum of 2 guests for £545 per person.

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The Perfect Scotch Whiskies To Celebrate Burns Night 2021

by

By Joseph V Micallef

Robert Burns (1759-1796), is Scotland’s National Bard. He was a poet and lyricist who wrote in both Scottish and English, and remains to this day a Scottish cultural icon and a bedrock of Scotland’s national identity. Among his many compositions are Auld Lange Syne, A Red, Red Rose, Tam O’ Shanter and, of course, Address to a Haggis.

Five years after his death, a group of his devoted friends gathered together to celebrate his life and work. The tradition caught on and came to be celebrated on or around his birthday of January 25. That date, often referred to as Robert Burns Day, has become Scotland’s unofficial National Day. In fact, it’s more widely celebrated in Scotland than the official national observance of St Andrew’s Day.

 

At the heart of the celebration is the Burn’s Supper or Burns Night—a traditional Scottish dinner typically accompanied by numerous drams of Scotland’s whisky.

Robert Burns
Robert Burns PHOTO, COURTESY WIKIPEDIA/NAYSMITH

The traditional Burns Supper begins with a soup course. This is usually a classic Scottish soup like Scotch broth, potato soup, Cullen skink (a thick Scottish soup made of smoked haddock, potatoes and onions) or cock-a-leekie (a soup dish consisting of leeks and peppered chicken stock).

Read more

Happy Rabbie Burns Day: Burns Night quotes, poems and facts about Robert Burns

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Time to prep your neeps and tatties.

Burns Night is upon us and you know what that means – it’s almost time to have some haggis, a wee dram, an’ ah few lovely tatties. Burns Night is the celebration of Robert Burns’ life and poetry, and it takes place every year on 25 January. The tradition started shortly after Burns’ death, when his friends made a pact to celebrate his life every year on 21 July – the date of his death – but over the years it became tradition to celebrate Burns Night on what would have been his birthday. If you want to get in on the festivities when we’ve got you covered with everything you need to know about Rabbie Burns and some classic quotes of his.

Rabbie Burns quotes and poem extracts Burns Night celebrations will usually kick-off with the host saying a few words, and sometimes reciting Burns’ Selkirk Grace. The Selkirk Grace, which is written in the Scottish dialect, as many of Burns’ poems were, goes like this:

‘Some hae meat an canna eat
And some wad eat that want it;
But we hae meat, and we can eat,
And sae the Lord be thankit.’

Robert Burns

Read More on Burns Night at: Happy Rabbie Burns Day: Burns Night quotes, poems and facts about Robert Burns