As the chill of January sets in, there’s no better way to honour the legacy of Scotland’s most beloved poet, Robert Burns, than with a glass of the finest whisky. Burns Night, celebrated on the bard’s birthday, January 25th, is not just an occasion to recite his timeless poetry, but also to indulge in Scotland’s most famous export: whisky.. Whether you’re a seasoned whisky connoisseur or new to the spirit, our whisky suggestions promise to enhance your Burns Night celebration with rich, complex flavours that embody the spirit of Scotland.
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The Glenlivet 200-Year Anniversary Limited Edition 12-Year-Old
The Glenlivet, renowned for defining the Speyside single malt style, celebrates its 200th anniversary with a year of innovative festivities, highlighted by the launch of The Glenlivet 200-Year Anniversary Limited Edition 12-Year-Old. This special edition, matured in first-fill American Oak casks, offers a rich blend of flavours including ripe pear, coconut, and creamy vanilla, with aromatic notes of tangerines and crème caramel. The bottle’s artwork, chosen through a global crowdsourcing campaign, reflects The Glenlivet’s enduring commitment to innovation and excellence. Crafted by Studio Berdi in Colombia, the design commemorates the journey from its founding by George Smith to its present status as a trailblazing single malt, poised for another 200 years of pioneering achievements in the whisky world.
Old Pulteney Harbour
Old Pulteney, known as “The Maritime Malt,” has introduced “Old Pulteney Harbour” as the latest addition to its award-winning collection. This new single malt, named after the connection between Wick and the North Sea, embodies the brand’s maritime heritage while offering a modern and vibrant touch. Matured in a combination of hand-selected American oak ex-bourbon casks by the sea, it features a unique flavour profile with notes of vanilla, coconut, citrus fruits, lemon drizzle cake, and a spicy oak undertone. With a 40% ABV, it balances sweet raisins and tropical fruits with darker tones of toffee and tobacco leaf, culminating in Old Pulteney’s signature mellow sea brine finish, making it an accessible choice for whisky enthusiasts embarking on a journey with Old Pulteney.
Highland Park 15-Year-Old
Imbued with the essence of Viking soul, this 15-year-old single malt whisky is a blend primarily from sherry-seasoned European and American oak casks, complemented by a selection of refill casks for a smoother profile. It is presented in an exquisite ceramic decanter, featuring an alcohol content of 44%. Crafted using locally sourced ingredients, it honours the Viking legacy with elegance. On the nose, this whisky exudes rich and spicy fragrances, intertwined with hints of honey, Crème brûlée, cinnamon, and various fruits. The taste reveals a prominent flavour of freshly baked sponge cake, enriched with cinnamon, citrus, and the unmistakable presence of peat smoke. The finish showcases a harmonious blend of heathery peat smoke and the whisky’s lively fruitiness.
Laphroaig 10-Year-Old Sherry Cask
This distinctive blend from Laphroaig fuses the memorable taste of Laphroaig 10-Year-Old whisky with the rich, aromatic essence derived from Oloroso sherry casks. This combination yields a robust, full-bodied flavour, featuring notes of Manuka honey, bacon, and maple syrup, alongside Laphroaig’s signature smokiness, seaweed, and subtle saltiness. European oak sherry casks are meticulously chosen to enhance Laphroaig’s renowned flavour profile. The added sweetness and distinctive qualities of the Oloroso casks bring depth and harmony, crafting an exciting and novel expression that remains faithful to Laphroaig’s classic character.
Macallan Double Cask 12-Year-Old
The Macallan Double Cask 12 Years Old is a refined single malt whisky, blending flavours from American and European Oak casks seasoned with sherry in Jerez de la Frontera, Spain. It features a palette of milk chocolate raisins, creamy toffee, orange peel, and gentle spice. This expression highlights The Macallan’s expertise in whisky-making since 1824, combining the warmth of Oloroso sherry-seasoned oak casks with classic flavours of vanilla, citrus, butterscotch, and rich fruits. This whisky offers a harmonious balance of traditional Macallan characteristics and innovative flavours.
Whisky Me
Whisky Me Letterbox Subscriptions, launched by the founders of London’s Black Rock whisky bar, offer a unique and convenient way to enjoy whisky this Burns Night. Their subscriptions deliver a variety of expertly selected directly to your door. Aimed at making quality whisky more accessible and affordable, the service avoids exclusive memberships and inflated prices.
The Whisky Me gift box offers a unique gift, ideal for whisky enthusiasts. It includes a complimentary pouch of whisky and a redeemable code for the recipient. The box is available in four subscription options:
- 6 month Traditional or Discovery subscription – £53.70
- 12 month Traditional or Discovery subscription – £96.00
- 6 month Adventure subscription – £107.40
- 12 month Adventure subscription – £192.00
The Glasgow Distillery Original
The Original is The Glasgow Distillery’s first expression of single malt Scotch whisky. It is crafted from premium concerto malted barley and Scottish water, and is matured in first-fill ex-bourbon casks and virgin American oak barrels. It has a 46% ABV, is non-chill filtered and natural in colour, and offers a smooth and fruity flavour with hints of red berries, vanilla, pear and honey, with a long spicy finish.
Benriach 16 Year Old
The Sixteen, a 16-year-old single malt from Benriach, is an incredibly complex whisky. Matured in a blend of ex-bourbon, ex-sherry and virgin oak casks, it has a delightful aroma of honey, creamy hazelnuts, baked apples, ginger and apricots. On the palate, it has notes of honeyed malt, toasted oak, stone fruits, cinnamon-baked apples, and wisps of smoke.
Laphroaig Quarter Cask
The unique double maturation of Laphroaig Quarter Cask creates a delightful balance of intense and rich flavour. American oak barrels are used to mature whisky before it is transferred to smaller quarter casks and left to mature in the seaside warehouses. The smaller cask size increases contact with the oak, creating a smooth, rich edge to the signature Laphroaig peatiness.
Bowmore 15 Year-Old
After maturing in bourbon barrels, Bowmore 15 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky is finished in Oloroso sherry casks, offering a fine example of a sherry cask finish. The final three years in these casks gives the whisky its rich, deep colour and robust, warming finish. With its award-winning flavour, Bowmore 15 Year Old features notes of raisins and gentle smoke, leading to a delicious chocolaty centre.
Macallan Double Cask 18 Year Old
The Macallan Double Cask Single Malt Scotch whiskies are aged in two types of hand-crafted oak casks: American oak and European oak. The American oak imparts sweet and light flavours like vanilla, citrus, and butterscotch, while the European oak adds a subtle spiciness. After the two whiskies are matured, they are combined to create a single malt with a sweeter and more robust taste, further enhanced by seasoning the casks with dry Oloroso sherry.
Highland Park 18 Year Old
Highland Park 18-Year-Old is renowned for its remarkable smoothness, due to a high ratio of exquisite, first-fill sherry-seasoned European and American oak casks. This exceptional single malt is a perfect balance of over-ripe cherries, bitter dark cocoa, sweet marzipan, untamed winter spices, floral heather honey, and smoky peat. When enjoying this unique whisky, pair it with dishes such as monkish or swordfish cooked with Indian spices, cold meats with ginger chutney, or citrussy puddings.
The Glenrothes Whisky Maker’s Cut
This whisky from The Soleo Collection, part of Glenrothes’ range of five whiskies aged from 10 to 25 years, has no age statement. Matured entirely in first-fill sherry casks, it has a red label to signify the unripe colour of the grapes used to make some sherries, such as Pedro Ximénez. Its flavour profile contains notes of orange, vanilla, nutmeg and oak.
Glenfiddich Fire & Cane
The ideal dram for a rustic winter’s day, Glenfiddich’s Fire & Cane is the fourth concept in the Experimental Series and marries whisky with non-peated malts that have been matured side-by-side in bourbon casks. Providing an explosion of campfire smokiness, the Latin finished rum leaves a lingering woodiness on the palate with a surprisingly long-lasting flavour of sweet toffee, soft spice, and toasted marshmallow.
Glenfiddich 15 Year Old
Glenfiddich 15 Year Old exemplifies Glenfiddich’s family tradition of innovation. Aged in European oak sherry casks and new oak casks for at least fifteen years, this warming, spiced liquid carries sweet aromas of sweet honey, vanilla fudge and chocolate. With silky-smooth tastes of sherry oak, cinnamon and ginger, this whisky is full-bodied with a lingering sweet finish.
Singleton of Dufftown 12 Years Old
A relaunched Singleton, this time from Dufftown, to replace the now-retired Singleton of Auchroisk. This smooth, mellow dram is ideal for new whisky drinkers to the malt category with flavours of polished wood and nuts (toasted hazelnut), rich fruits, both stewed (baked apples) and dried (sweeet dates) intertwined with soft brown sugar.
Talisker 10 Year Old
A classic whisky from the Isle of Skye. Aged for a minimum of 10 years in American oak casks, this welcome member of Diageo’s Classic Malts series has been recognised numerous times for its excellence. Immensely satisfying stuff, with whiffs of warm peat blending with coastal air, balanced by orchard fruit and juicy barley. A spectacular whisky for Burns Night.
Aberlour 14-year-Old
Distilled and bottled in Speyside, this single malt undergoes a maturation process using a combination of oloroso sherry casks and first-fill American oak casks. With a nose of cloves, cardamom, toffee, milk chocolate and orange zest, it provides a palate of black cherries, mocha coffee and mint, for a fresh, yet smooth and rich whisky that’s perfect for wintertime.
Cotswolds Reserve Single Malt Whisky
Cotswolds Reserve Single Malt Whisky is made from 100% locally grown floor malted barley and is aged in specially selected first-fill ex-Bourbon and STR ex-red wine casks at a ratio of 80:20 – 80% Bourbon and 20% STR. This expression showcases the influence of the first-fill ex-Bourbon casks which provide classic notes of vanilla, honey, butterscotch and a hint of coconut, resulting in a smooth, elegant and well-balanced dram. A touch of whisky from the STR ex-red wine casks has been blended in to enhance the richness, fruitiness and sweetness of this whisky. Bottled at 50% ABV the whisky is both naturally coloured and non-chill filtered.
