Great Scotch Whisky for Burns Night!

Words by Colin Hampden-White

Burn’s Night is always a good excuse for whisky lovers to open up their favourite bottles and celebrate the Scottish poets life and works over a few drams and haggis. Here are some of my favourite whiskies aged 13 to 18 years which won’t break the bank and one special dram which I think most people would like. From those just starting out on their whisky journey to seasoned travellers on the whisky road. There are some classics, some newbies and a couple of unusual bottles here, but they have one thing in common. They are all delicious.

Craigellachie 13 Year Old

Back in 2014, Craigellachie released a new core range of whiskies, all with prime numbers as age statements reflecting the maverick edge to the brand. The 13 year old was the beginning, and it was a very good start. One of the few whiskies I will always have on a shelf, I’ll be starting my Burn’s night celebrations with one of these. Lots of character, plenty of fruit and bold intense flavours whilst remaining smooth and easy to drink.

ABV: 46%
Size: UK 700ml // US 750ml
Find here: UK £46.99 // US $64.99

The Balvenie 14 Year Old Caribbean Cask

This is probably the best expression of whisky finished in rum casks. Spending the beginning of its life in ex-bourbon casks giving vanilla and toffee flavours, the rum cask finish brings in banana and other tropical notes. The rum casks were filled with rum that malt master David Stewart had blended to give lots of complexity and sweetness. I find this whisky pairs well with a great number of foods but goes especially well with haggis.

ABV: 43%
Size: UK 700ml // US 750ml
Find here: UK £56.95 // US $100.99

Tamdhu 15 Year Old

Tamdhu is the king of sherry cask maturation on Speyside being the only distillery which uses only ex-Sherry casks for all its whisky. This 15 year old gives all those who love a sherry bomb enough of a kick whilst remaining balanced and fruity for those just getting into sherried whisky. There are lots of dark fruit flavours and plenty of Christmas spice from the ex-Oloroso Sherry casks. Perfect for smoked salmon or a well-seasoned haggis.

ABV: 46%
Size: UK 700ml // US 750ml
Find here: UK £74.95 // US $119.99

Fettercairn 16 2021 (2nd release)

This second release of a 16 year old from Fettercairn is very different from the 1st release. There is no use of chocolate malt in this expression and lots of expertly blended sherry casks. Three different types of sherry casks were used: first fill Oloroso, refill Oloroso and first fill Palo Cortado Sherry Butts. This marriage of casks gives lots of complexity and balance from the fruity spirit and spicy oak. It’s definitely one to savour. Leaving the whisky in the glass to air for twenty minutes or so will bring extra complexity and nuance.

ABV: 46.4%
Size: 700ml
Find here: £64.95

Deanston 2002 17 year old Pinot Noir Cask Finish

This is a sophisticated dram. There are lots of vanilla notes and fudge from the first maturation in American oak, and orchard fruits from the spirit, all backed up with plenty of fresh red fruit flavours and grape notes from the second maturation in the Pinot Noir casks. The distillery character is still prevalent, but there is so much more to this expression that their core range delivers. Definitely, a dram worth spending that little bit extra on.

ABV: 50%
Size: 700ml
Find here: £110

Johnnie Walker 18

I believe this is a whisky all whisky lovers will enjoy. It is a blend of at least 18 whiskies including Cardhu, Glen Elgin and Blair Athol which are all favourites of mine. This used to be known as the Platinum label, but by giving it the age statement back gives clarity that this is a whisky of good age. With lots of fruity flavours, clear honey and gentle wisps of smoke this is a real crowd pleaser, and is astonishingly good value for an eighteen year old dram.

ABV: 40%
Size: UK 700ml // US 750ml
Find here: UK £52.84 // US $79.99

Tomintoul 19 Year Old Port Pipe Matured Cask No.1

At the end of a Burn’s Night evening when a few different whiskies may have been consumed, something with a little punch is needed, and this whisky delivers. It is big and bold having been matured for all its life in a single port pipe which has imparted huge flavour into the spirit. Only 753 bottles were produced in 2020, and there are a few left. It gives lots of plums and creamy toffee with summer red fruits leading to dried fruits like raisins before giving way to peppery spice and a brilliantly balanced spice and sweetness all the way through the finish. It’s an absolute belter!

ABV: 57%
Size: 700ml
Find here: £175.95

Enjoy the whiskies, the haggis, the poetry and the bagpipes (there is always Spotify), but above all enjoy the company. Happy Burn’s night to you all. Slàinte Mhath.

Has all this whisky talk got you wishing you were in Scotland? If so, make sure you have a read of these brilliant Scotch Whisky Distillery Tours!

5 of The Best Scotch Whisky Cocktails to drink right now

As we raise a toast to Robert Burns this January 25th, our friends at drinks retailer Bottle Club have compiled their most popular Scotch whisky cocktail recipes to celebrate Burns Night in style. Here’s what they picked out...

Whisky is often enjoyed neat or on the rocks, but cocktails aren’t just for Gin, Rum or Vodka. With a breadth of flavour combinations, and with Burns Night just around the corner, it’s time to make whisky the star of your cocktail bar. There are plenty of flavours to explore that will tickle your taste buds, even if whisky is not yet your go-to tipple.

Popular Scotch Whisky Cocktails

The Robert Burns Cocktail

It is a Scottish tradition to celebrate the poet Robert Burns' birthday on January 25th every year, and whether this drink was named for him or not, it is a fantastic choice for the evening's libation.

The Robert Burns is a classic cocktail that pays tribute to two of Scotland’s finest exports. The drink itself is a delightful, sophisticated mix that builds on the scotch-vermouth combination of a Rob Roy, but the addition of absinthe brings in an intriguing contrasting flavour. Be sure to keep the absinthe to a dash however as it can easily overpower the drink. 

If Absinthe is a bit too much for your taste, there is a variation called the Bobby Burns which swaps the Absinthe for Bénédictine. 

Ingredients:

• 60ml Scotch Whisky (Team 3D recommend Johnnie Walker Black Label)

• 25ml Sweet Vermouth 

• Dash Orange Bitters

• Dash Absinthe 

Method:
Add ingredients into a mixing glass with ice, then stir well and strain into a tumbler. Ice and orange twist optional. 

Rusty Nail Cocktail

The Rusty Nail is the ultimate Scotch whisky cocktail. It's a very simple mix of Scotch and Drambuie served on the rocks. This is designed to be a sophisticated, slow-sipping drink, and it's excellent after dinner.

Feel free to choose either blended or single malts, exploring various brands and going as top-shelf as you wish. You may also want to adjust the ratio of the two spirits to fit your taste. 

Ingredients:

• 45ml Scotch Whisky (Team 3D recommens this GoT Clynelish)

• 25ml Drambuie

Method:
Simply combine the liquids into a mixing glass and stir well before pouring over ice into a tumbler. 

The Rob Roy 

The Rob Roy cocktail was named after an operetta that narrated the story of a great Scottish folk hero who supported the poor. It’s a Scotch version of the classic Manhattan cocktail as the Rob Roy replaces bourbon or rye whisky with Scotch. The Rob Roy ingredients are also similar to that of a classic Old Fashioned, but the Rob Roy recipe uses sweet vermouth instead of sugar syrup for a richer flavour. It is best served by putting the cocktail glass in the freezer to ensure the Rob Roy stays cold as the drink is served without ice. Stirring a Rob Roy cocktail rather than shaking is critical in delicate cocktails with few ingredients, so not to over dilute the drink.

Ingredients:

• 60ml Scotch Whisky (Team 3D recommend Jura ‘Journey’ malt whisky)

• 25ml Sweet Vermouth

• Dash Angostura Bitters

• Cherry (Garnish) 

Method:
Combine all ingredients into a mixing glass with ice (minus the garnish) and stir well before straining into a cold Nick and Nora or Martini glass. Garnish with a cherry. 

Hot Toddy

A good Hot Toddy has been said to jump-start mornings, cure colds and play furnace on a cold evening. Many people believe that its first use was as a medicinal aid, as alcohol was known to numb pain, while citrus and sugar (or honey) could soothe a sore throat.

This recipe comes from San Francisco bartender Jacques Bezuidenhout and features your choice of whisky, hot water, demerara sugar and a clove-studded lemon peel. Fortunately, the Hot Toddy is very easy to make. 

Ingredients:

• 4 Cloves

• 1 Lemon Peel 

• 2 Tsp Demerara Sugar

• 8ml  Lemon Juice 

• 60ml Whisky  (Team 3D recommend Johnnie Walker Black Label)

Method:
Grab your favourite mug and heat it with some boiling water. After a minute or two, throw away the water and build your drink in the same mug by combining your spirit with sugar, lemon juice and peel, cloves and more hot water.

Ruby Queen Cocktail

The Ruby Queen recipe was developed by Rob Krueger of Extra Fancy in New York City and although it includes a couple of unusual ingredients, it is quite easy to mix up. You will need to prepare or acquire fresh beetroot juice and take a few minutes to make a fresh honey syrup.

It’s a pleasant surprise when you taste just how well Scotch works against this sweetened vegetable juice. The whisky adds a depth that vodka and gin cannot. It will rival any Bloody Mary you have ever had. 

Ingredients:

• 45ml Scotch Whisky (Team 3D recommend The Dalmore 12 Year old)

• 30ml Fresh Red Beetroot Juice

• 25ml  Honey Syrup 

• 25ml Fresh Lemon Juice

• Fresh Dill or Tarragon (Garnish) 

• Lemon Twist (Garnish) 

Method:
Combine everything except the garnish into a shaker with ice, shake for 30 seconds, then strain and pour into all tall, high-ball style glass. pour and shake like any other drink and you will have a savoury drink that will rival any Bloody Mary.

Fancy checking out some other cocktail recipes? Here are our One Drink, Three Ways Gin and Rum recipes!