The top whiskies to enjoy this Burns Night have been named by experts.
Friday, January 25, marks Burns Night, which is an annual celebration of the life and poetry of Robert Burns. Many Scots host special Burns Suppers to mark the occasion, where they traditionally enjoy haggis, neeps and tatties, and a glass of whisky.
Ahead of Burns Night on Saturday, experts at The Whisky Shop have shared a list of the top 10 whiskies to toast Scotland’s national bard. Coming in at number one is Arran’s Robert Burns Single Malt.
The aptly named whisky, which was inspired by Burns and has been endorsed by the Robert Burns World Federation, features a “rounded, smooth, malty and sweet expression” according to the experts. It can be purchased for £45 through The Whisky Shop or for £37.50 directly from the Arran Whisky website.
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Featuring at number two on The Whisky Shop’s list is Our Barley by Lochlea Distillery in the heart of Ayrshire. The distillery, which opened in 2018, is located on the same farm that Robert Burns lived and worked on in the 18th century.
The award-winning core single malt expression is made from and inspired by barley grown on Lochlea Farm and features aromas of boiled sweets and freshly cut grass. It can be bought for £48 through The Whisky Shop or £45 from The Leith Export Co.
Meanwhile, coming in third place on the experts’ roundup is The Smoky Twelve by Benriach Distillery in the Speyside area of Scotland. The Whisky Shop praised the single malt for being “as close as we can get to the kind of drams The Bard himself would’ve enjoyed way back in the 1700s”.
The Smoky Twelve features flavours of ripened fruit, aromatic smoky sweetness, and warming oak spice. It is available to buy for £58 from The Whisky Shop or £47.99 from Master of Malt.
Rounding out the top five are the Glen Scotia 15 Year Old and the Balblair 25 Year Old, which were praised for their “sweet notes of vanilla and undercurrents of spicy ginger” and “warming finish” respectively. The former can be bought for £79 through The Whisky Shop, while the Balblair 25-Year-Old is available for £595 from Berry Bros. & Rudd.
Also included in the top 10 are the Glenturret 7 Year Old Peat Smoke 2023, the Glenkinchie Distillers Edition Double Matured, and the Arran 10 Year Old. The Whisky Shop singled out the former for its “light smoke, vanilla and sweet aromatics”, while the Glenkinchie Distillers Edition Double Matured was praised for its “fresh and floral” and the Arran 10 Year Old for its “rich vanilla sweetness”.
The final whiskies named among the best for Burns Night are the Talisker 10 Year Old and the Timorous Beastie Blended Malt. The experts said the Talisker 10 Year Old is an “absolutely perfect pairing” for haggis, while the Timorous Beastie Blended Malt is a blend of Highland whiskies inspired by Burns’ poem ‘To a Mouse’.
The Whisky Shop wrote: “With this dark and chilly January dragging its feet, Burns Night couldn’t come quicker. With suppers, ceilidhs, tastings, and other events, there are plenty of ways for us all to celebrate ol’ Rabbie Burns’ birthday, and all of them include the best tradition of all, Scotch whisky.
“So whether you’re serving up a Burns supper with haggis, neeps and tatties (that’s haggis, turnips and potatoes for the non-Scots!), or having a quieter, celebratory dram, we’ve got a spectacular selection of Scotch whiskies to choose from!”
More information can be found on The Whisky Shop website.
Best Burns Night whiskies
- Arran Single Malt Scotch Whisky – Robert Burns Malt
- Lochlea Our Barley
- Benriach The Smoky Twelve
- Glen Scotia 15 Year Old
- Balblair 25 Year Old
- Glenturret 7 Year Old Peat Smoke 2023
- Glenkinchie Distillers Edition Double Matured
- Arran 10 Year Old
- Talisker 10 Year Old
- Timorous Beastie Blended Malt
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