Robbie Burns Day and its associated Burns Dinner is a celebration of all things Scottish and an excellent opportunity to toast Scotland with the golden liquid – Scotch whisky – that it has given to the world. Below is a short history of the origins of Robbie Burns Day and some recommendations for Scotch whiskies to toast it with.
Robert Burns (1759-1796) is Scotland’s national bard. A Scottish cultural icon and a bedrock of Scotland’s national identity, he was both a poet and lyricist and wrote in both Scotch Gaelic and English. Among his many poems are A Red, Red Rose, Tam O’ Shanter, and his iconic Address to a Haggis.
In 1801, five years after his death, a group of devoted friends gathered to celebrate his life and work. The tradition caught on and came to be held on or around his birthday on January 25. That date, Robert Burns Day, became 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 Burns Supper or Burns Night – a traditional Scottish dinner that typically begins and ends with a dram of Scotch whisky and plenty of additional drams in between.
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).
The highlight of the dinner is the serving of the haggis, a traditional Scottish pudding comprised of the heart, liver, and lungs of a sheep diced with onions, oatmeal, suet, spices, and salt. Mixed together, the concoction is then cooked in a sheep’s stomach. There is no question; it is an acquired taste.
Haggis is an ancient dish whose roots date back to antiquity. Despite its close association with Scotland, dishes made of offal from slaughtered animals are found in cultures ranging from the ancient Romans to the Vikings.
Haggis-type foods were designed to cook and preserve quick-spoiling offal from a butchered animal. It was peasant food. The workmen who did the butchering were allowed to keep the offal for their troubles. Despite its ancient origins, the first written reference to haggis didn’t appear until 1430. The first poetic reference to haggis appeared in 1520, one of many, and is attributed to William Dunbar, a Scottish Makar or court poet.
Tradition has it that the dinner party stands when the haggis is brought in by the cook, while a bagpiper “pipes” the haggis to the host. A distinguished guest or the host then recites Burns’ poem Address to a Haggis. When the recital has finished, a whisky toast is proposed, the first of many that will grace the evening.
Following coffee, the guests raise toasts to the memory of Robert Burns, often accompanied by recitals of his poems. Traditionally, the evening ended when a male guest gave an “Address to the Lassies.” Ostensibly, this was to thank and toast the women present for preparing the meal, but it was often used as an opportunity for the speaker to give his views on women.
That toast was followed by a “Toast to the Laddies,” an opportunity for a female guest to give her views on men and to respond/rebut to any of the specific points raised by the previous speaker. The evening would end with additional recitations of Burns’ poems and songs, culminating in a group singing of Auld Lange Syne.
You can certainly celebrate Robert Burns Day without serving a haggis. I would recommend you just skip that part. You might also opt to forget the “Address to the Lassies” and the “Address to the Laddies.” These days you might run afoul of political correctness. So, we best skip the main course and the commentary and head straight to the whiskies!
If you live in New York City or find yourself there on the evening of January 25, you can opt to attend Burns Distilled, an annual Burns Supper hosted by renowned Braveheart actor Andrew Weir.
According to Wier, Burns Distilled is a “heart-warming and fast-paced telling of Robert Burns, punctuated with great whisky alongside a traditional Scottish dinner and fueled by music which will nurture the soul.”
This year’s dinner will be held at the McKittrick Hotel in New York City. Weir will host a dinner from 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm, with an afterparty option on Thursday, January 25. A dinner, but no afterparty, will also be offered at the same time on January 26. Tickets can be purchased via the McKittrick Hotel.
You can also celebrate with your friends at home or at a local bar. What whiskies should you drink on Burns Night? Any Scotch whisky will do, although if you want to be historically accurate, look to single malt, cask strength offerings, ideally ones that were Sherry cask matured and included some peated malt in their mash bills.
Neither blended whisky nor single malts existed in 1796. Blended whisky, a mix of grain whisky and single malt whisky, wasn’t legalized until Gladstone’s Spirits Act of 1860. The act legalized the blending of whisky in a bonded warehouse before duty had to be paid. It allowed Scotch whisky distillers to create a whisky whose aroma and taste profile resembled Irish whiskey. At the time, Irish whiskey was the best-selling whisky in the world.
Moreover, outside of a handful of Lowland Distilleries, most of whose whisky would have been undrinkable anyway, virtually all the single malt whisky in Scotland would have been bootleg. It wasn’t until the enactment of the Excise Tax in 1823 that widespread legal Scotch whisky production was born.
Scotch was bottled at cask strength until World War I. The British government reduced the bottling proof to 40% ABV/80 proof to reduce drunkenness among munitions workers following their lunch or dinner breaks.
If you are looking for a whisky whose taste and aroma profile would have been familiar to the participants in the first Burns Dinner, consider Mortlach. Nicknamed “The Beast of Dufftown” and produced by Diageo, it has a range of 12 YO, 16 YO, and 20 YO distillery expressions.
On the nose, Mortlach opens up, especially with a touch of water, to reveal notes of cooked stone fruit, think peach cobbler, and aromas of caramel, cinnamon spice, and herbal notes of dried tobacco leaf.
The whisky is oily and sweet, with a pronounced palate weight that features dried fruit notes, especially of golden raisin, fig and prune, caramel, chocolate, some vanilla, licorice, cinnamon spice, and a touch of well-seasoned oak.
The finish is long, with lingering licorice and dried fruit notes.
There are also several Mortlach expressions from independent bottlers. Gordon & MacPhail (G & M) has 25 YO and 15 YO expressions bottled at either 46% ABV or 43% ABV. All four versions are Sherry cask matured. Judging from the color and taste profile, in my estimation, the earlier bottling (43% ABV) has a more pronounced Sherry influence and, probably, a greater proportion of first-fill Sherry cask whisky than the later (46%) expression.
Both versions can be found at US retail. If you can, opt for the 43% ABV version; I think it’s more flavorful.
See also Mortlach expressions bottled by Signatory, Douglas Laing, and Hart Brothers.
Bunnahabhain, one of Islay’s preeminent distilleries, has a range of peated and non-peated single malt expressions. The core range consists of 12 YO, 18 YO, 25 YO, 30 YO, and 40 YO expressions. The latter three are outstanding but are generally difficult to find.
Also, part of the core range is Stiuireadair, and Bunnahabhain Toiteach A Dhà. Stiuireadair is a Sherried malt whisky with a distinctive saline and savory quality. Toiteach also has a noticeable Sherried influence and a touch of peat smoke. Stylistically, it is very reminiscent of the aroma and taste profile of Bunnahabhain in the first half of the 20th century.
Bunnahabhain matures particularly well in wine casks that previously held sweet wines. The casks emphasize the notes of dried dark fruit and nuts that are typically found in Bunnahabhain.
A particularly outstanding expression is the Bunnahabhain Moine Pedro Ximénez Cask Finish. This is a slightly peated, 18 YO Bunnahabhain single malt that has been finished in a Pedro Ximénez cask. The whisky features notes of coffee, rich milk chocolate, jammy dark and tropical fruits, and caramel. The perfect finish to your Burns Night Dinner.
Loch Lomond, a distiller perched just over the Highland line, has garnered impressive medals in recent spirit competitions. The distillery’s association with The British Open, one of the four major golf tournaments, has produced several outstanding Scotch whisky expressions.
Try the Loch Lomond, NAS, The Open 151st Royal Liverpool, Rioja Finish. The whisky is a blend of Scotch whiskies distilled in a combination of straight-neck pot stills and traditional swan-neck stills. The signature fruity, sweet, and slightly smoky style of Loch Lomond is enhanced by the pronounced red berry, orchard fruit, vanilla, and dark chocolate notes contributed by the Rioja casks.
Try also the Loch Lomond 22 YO, The Open 151st Royal Liverpool, Organic Single Malt Scotch Whisky. This expression also uses whiskies produced from straight-neck and swan-neck pot stills that are matured in hogsheads that previously held organic wines. The 22 YO is significantly fruitier than the NAS expression, with pronounced tropical fruit notes of mango, pineapple and grapefruit, along with notes of ginger and cinnamon on the finish.
Loch Lomond also produces the Glengarry Single Malt Scotch Whisky. Currently, there are two expressions, a No-Age-Statement (NAS), and a 12 YO that are readily available. There is also a blended Scotch bottling.
Glengarry is a full-bodied whisky with pronounced floral and fruity notes of orchard and stone fruits. The 12 YO is a little lighter in style, with a hint of peat smoke, slightly grassy and herbaceous notes, and flavors of candied apricot, apple, pear, and golden raisin. The NAS is slightly smokier, with a similar aroma and flavor profile. Both single malts represent exceptional value. The NAS expression can often be found for less than $20, while the 12 YO expression is usually priced under $40.
Glenlivet is a mainstay of most Scotch whisky collections. The latest addition to the Glenlivet range is The Sample Room. These expressions are 18 YO, 21 YO, and 25 YO whiskies that have been subject to unique cask finishes.
For example, the Glenlivet 18 YO The Sample Room has been finished in a combination of first and second-fill American oak and ex-Sherry casks. The result is a complex whisky with a distinctive sweetness and bursting with tropical fruit and citrus notes.
The Glenlivet 21 YO The Sample Room is finished in a combination of first-fill Oloroso Sherry casks and casks of Tronçaise oak that previously held Cognac and Colheita Port. The result is a flavorful, complex whisky that offers notes of dried apricots, baked pears, golden and dark raisins, and milk chocolate, along with spice notes of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger pepperiness, and a hint of clove.
On the other hand, the Glenlivet 25 YO The Sample Room has been finished in first-fill Pedro Ximénez Sherry casks and Cognac casks of Tronçaise oak. Stylistically, the 25 YO is very similar to the 21 YO, but the fruit profile tends to darker fruit notes of fig, date, prune, and dark raisins (the PX influence).
The tropical fruit notes are less pronounced, though there is still a distinctive pineapple note, and the citrus notes are sweeter and more candied than in the 21 YO. The Glenlivet is a great whisky, and if it is among your favorites, then you should definitely try these new Sample Room expressions. Their sweetness and fruitiness make them excellent “after-dinner/dessert” whiskies.
Glenmorangie is another distiller who, under the deft hand of the Head of Distilling and Whisky Creation, Dr. Bill Lumsden, has an impressive record of creating new and interesting flavor profiles. The company was among the first to release Scotch whisky expressions finished in sweet wine casks. The Lasanta (Sherry and Bourbon Casks), The Quinta Ruban (Port and Bourbon Casks), and The Nectar (Sauterne and Bourbon Casks) have been perennial best-sellers and are still a critical part of the distillery’s core range.
Try also the Limited Edition range. Glenmorangie, A Tale of Cake, is finished in Tokaji dessert wine casks. It’s intended to recreate the flavors found in a pineapple upside-down cake. The Glenmorangie, Tale of the Forest, uses barley that is kilned with “woodland botanicals”: juniper berries, birch bark, and heather flowers. Think Scotch whisky meets gin. The result is a whisky redolent with aromas of a temperate forest in the early morning.
See also the Glenmorangie expressions finished in casks that previously held Amontillado Sherry or Palo Cortado. There is also a Glenmorangie expression finished in Malaga casks. The sweet dessert wine imparts flavors of candied orange, milk chocolate, golden and dark raisins, dates, and figs.
A brand-new Scotch whisky that faithfully replicates the flavor profile of 19th-century Scotch whisky is Torabhaig. Distilled on the Isle of Skye, only the second whisky produced there is far less known than its neighbor Talisker.
This is heavily peated, at 78 ppm phenol, and bottled at a cask strength of 61.1% ABV. The whisky is a NAS but is likely a relatively young 5 YO. However, it still offers a complex combination of herbaceous notes, peat smoke, tar, roasted nuts, orchard fruit, and cinnamon and pepper spice. It’s a whisky that Robbie Burns would have recognized.
While blended Scotch whisky did not emerge until almost a century after Robert Burns, it makes excellent additions to any Burns dinner.
Old Parr, 12 YO, and 18 YO are two outstanding blended Scotch whiskies. Neither is particularly well known in the US; both represent outstanding values. The 12 YO typically sells for under $30, and the 18 YO generally sells for under $60. Notwithstanding their price, these are rich, complex whiskies that offer notes of cooked cereal, dried fruit, and caramel, along with aromas of fresh hay and a slight savory/briny note – like a sea breeze.
Like Loch Lomond, Dewar’s has also crafted a whisky to commemorate a major golf tournament. In their case, Dewar’s Blended Scotch Whisky, 19 YO, The Champions Edition, honors the Los Angeles Country Club (LACC) and the 123rd edition of the US Open. This whisky is a classic Dewar’s, exhibiting notes of red berries, black cherry, and spice notes of cinnamon and nutmeg. The whisky was finished a casks of Napa Valley wine and is exceptionally smooth.
James Buchanan’s is another blended Scotch whisky that is not particularly well known in the US but is one of the top-selling blended Scotch whiskies in South America and the best-selling blended whisky in Mexico.
The James Buchanan’s Special Reserve, 18 YO, is aged in Sherry barrels. It offers up the typical Sherry matured whisky notes of dried and candied fruit and nuts, along with chocolate, coffee, vanilla, and sweet honey notes. It’s blended from a combination of grain whisky and 15 single malts built around a core of Dalwhinnie single malt. An average price of around $80 is also an exceptional value for a sherried Scotch whisky.
Unlike their American cousins, Scotch whisky producers have been slow to experiment with flavored whiskies. Buchanan’s Pineapple is a NAS Buchanan’s Scotch whisky, bottled at 35% ABV and flavored with pineapple.
Try the Wolfcraig 30 YO and 35 YO for a more upscale Blended Scotch. The experienced hands of renowned Master Distillers Richard Paterson and Ian Macmillan crafted both whiskies.
Both whiskies feature notes of orange marmalade, baked pear, creamy caramel, and lemon cake, along with tropical fruit notes of pineapple and banana. The blend incorporates single malts from all of Scotland’s whisky-producing regions that have been married in casks that previously held Pedro Ximénez Sherry.
The 35 YO has a similar flavor and aroma profile. It’s more floral than its younger sibling, with caramel apple, white chocolate, and sweet marzipan notes. Drink the 30 YO as an aperitif and the 35 YO as your dessert whisky.
This year, celebrate Robbie Burns Day, with or without a haggis, and use it as an excellent excuse to expand your whisky palate.
Sláinte