‘Freedom an’ whisky gang thegither / Tak aff your dram!’
Robert Burns is Scotland’s national bard, known the world over, centuries after his death, as a passionate ambassador of Scottish culture. And he loved writing about – and drinking – whisky.
Scotch is a golden thread running through Burns’ writing. It is mentioned in political poems – such as The Author’s Earnest Cry and Prayer, which is quoted above – as well as lighter celebrations of the joys of ‘John Barleycorn’ (his personification of whisky).
Burns died in 1796, but his name lives on thanks to Burns Night, the annual celebration held on 25 January, his birthday. What began as a low-key gathering of a few friends has mushroomed into a global extravaganza of bagpipes, haggis and – of course – whisky.
Choosing the ‘right’ dram for Burns Night depends on personal taste and purpose. If you’re looking for an accompaniment to haggis, neeps and tatties, you might want something powerful enough to stand up to all those rich flavours.
But Robert Burns was nothing if not a champion of free thinking – so the rules are definitely there to be broken. This selection of single malts and blends below will give you some inspiration, with drams to delight fans of Sherry, bourbon and rum cask finishes.
Best Scotch whiskies for Burns Night
Auchentoshan 12 Year Old Double Cask
Famed for its unusual use (in Scotland) of triple distillation, Auchentoshan offers a no-jagged-edges smoothness, here enhanced by influence from ex-bourbon and ex-Sherry casks. Aromas of Sugar Puffs and butterscotch usher in a silky palate with zesty citrus and some appealing hazelnut tones, plus a twist of cocoa powder and coffee roaster. A minor quibble about the bottling strength: 46% would surely offer more heft and breadth. Alcohol 40%
Berry Bros & Rudd Speyside Traditional Cask 16 Year Old
Part of Berrys’ Classic range thanks to its embodiment of the Speyside style, which means layers of fruit – poached pear and more exotic scents of dried apricot – alongside flavours of hazelnut, honey and biscuity cereal. Some earthy, tangy back notes suggest a greater age than 16 years, wedding complexity with balance and making for a pretty faultless single malt. Alc 48.2%
Blair Athol 2007 16 Year Old The Seasons: Winter
This seasonal exclusive from The Whisky Exchange is the archetypical winter’s dram, marrying Blair Athol’s gutsy, leather-and-funk distillate with full-term maturation in an ex-oloroso Sherry cask. Opulence personified, offering stem ginger encased in dark chocolate, cinder toffee and the contents of a well-stocked spice rack, all wrapped up in a textural liquid that coats the mouth and carries the flavours. Alc 55.1%
Ben Nevis 2019 6 Year Old – Caoineag The Weeping Spirit
It’s not exactly a cheery back-story: inspired by the Caoineag, an ancient weeping spirit from Scottish folklore that anticipates tragedy, death and disaster. But look on the bright side and savour this youthful example of the trademark Ben Nevis powerful funk and immense structure, encompassing everything from coal smoke to fresh-turned earth, charred lemon and raspberries in dark chocolate. Alc 55%
Cutty Sark Blended Scotch Whisky
Cutty Sark led a new wave of Scotch whiskies when it was launched in 1923, pitched to appeal to the American appetite for lighter drams. Cutty also has an indirect link to Burns – named after the tea clipper that recalled the revealing garb of witch Nannie Dee in the bard’s Tam O’Shanter poem. As for the whisky, its light, smooth, undemanding character makes it the perfect base for a pre-Burns supper highball. Alc 40%
Glen Garioch 12 Year Old
One of Scotland’s oldest distilleries has recently had a £6m revamp aimed at reviving traditional production methods. This benchmark 12yo release shows bags of character even before the changes were made, partly thanks to its relatively high bottling strength: dark honey, wisps of heather smoke, caramelised apple and lots of baking spices. The owners reckon it’s a great match for cheese – Parmigiano Reggiano specifically – and you can see why. Alc 48%
Glen Scotia 2014 10 Year Old
Another Whisky Exchange exclusive and, in today’s whisky market, a great value Campbeltown malt – but with a twist, playing up the peat to bring billowing clouds of scented smoke. Nonetheless, the lighter side of Scotia stands up to the buffeting: hedgerow aromas of honeysuckle and jasmine, before a slightly vegetal tang emerges. The first-fill ex-bourbon wood brings an edge of spice and some smoky hints of its own. Alc 55.9%
Glenfiddich Gran Reserva 21 Year Old
Cask finishing is as much art as science, teasing out oak influence without sacrificing distiller character. Time in ex-rum wood here brings unmistakable notes of black banana and a basket of tropical fruit – but the classic ‘fiddich flavours of baked apple and gentle spice remain intact. Age also builds breadth, texture and tertiary flavours of raisin, dark honey and light treacle. Alc 40%
Highland Park Cask Strength Heather
Highland Park hits its perfect pitch at about 18 years old, when fragrant Orcadian peat, distillery character and cask influence become aligned – but this more youthful new release is a fascinating exercise in dialling up the smoke and the alcohol to 11, bottled at cask strength to accentuate billowing bonfire aromas, alongside oak-derived spices and vanilla sweetness, all carried on a silky, almost oily, palate. Alc 63.6%
Torabhaig Sound of Sleat Batch Strength
This terrific release from Torabhaig takes its name from the strip of water separating the southeast of the Isle of Skye from the mainland. There’s more than a hint of maritime reek in its seaweed-accented peat smoke, counteracted by smooth vanilla and honey from maturation in American oak. A touch of salinity on the finish brings us back to the ocean. Alc 60.2%
