Burns Night Celebrations

For over 250 years, friends and families have gathered together to celebrate the life of Robert Burns, one of Scotland’s most important cultural icons and National Bard. Famed for works such as ‘A Man’s a’ Man for a’ That’, ‘Auld Lang Syne’ and ‘A Red Red Rose’, his ebullience and sociability, sensitivity to nature and progressive politics remain as relevant today as ever.

Burns Night Supper

The first Burns Night supper was said to have been held in July, 1801. A group of Burns’ closest friends gathered together to toast the poet on the fifth anniversary of his death. They read his poetry, sung his songs, and dined on haggis and sheep’s-head.  The date was later changed to the anniversary of his birth and, although eating sheep's-head has not survived to the present day (that we know of!), countless people in Scotland and around the world get together on January 25th to raise a glass, feast on traditional dishes and recite some of his poems. If you’re looking for inspiration for your own celebration, we have listed a few classic Scottish recipes and whisky recommendations below.

We include these recipes and a little about the life and work of Robert Burns in our Burns Night Special blind tasting collection. Including six premium Highland malt whiskies, a blind tasting guide, six information cards and the wax-sealed ‘reveal’ envelope, what better way to celebrate Scotland’s National Bard?

Haggis Neeps and Tatties

Haggis, often considered Scotland’s national dish, is surprisingly delicious despite its unfamiliar make up. Generally consisting of sheep’s ‘pluck’ (heart, liver and lungs) minced with onion, oatmeal and spices, it is rich, warming and delicious, and traditionally served with mashed neeps (turnips) and mashed tatties (potatoes). Robert Burn’s poem ‘Address to a Haggis’ is a humorous celebration of this hearty dish and often recited at Burns Night celebrations. Buy your haggis from your local shop (most supermarkets will stock haggis during late January), follow the cooking instructions, and then, when serving, have a go at reciting Burns’ ‘Address to a Haggis’ (below).

Cranachan

A delicious Scottish dessert made with raspberries, cream, rolled oats, honey and whisky. Similar to Eton Mess and a perfect festive treat for New Years eve, Burns Night or Saint Andrew’s day. It is traditionally made with crowide - a soft curd cheese - but we have swapped this for double cream as an easy and accessible alternative.

1 tbsp caster sugar
300g fresh raspberries
300ml double cream
3 tbsp clear honey
4 tbsp whisky
A handful of rolled oats

Toast the oats on a frying pan or spread evenly on a baking tray until golden.
Make a raspberry puree by crushing most of the raspberries and sieving out the seeds. Leave a few to use whole. Mix with the sugar.
Whip the cream until almost set, add the honey and whisky and combine.
Mix the toasted oats into the cream, and alternate layers of raspberries and cream, adding a few whole raspberries as you go, until you run out of mixture.

Whisky Recommendations

Our Burns Night Special tasting box includes single malt whiskies carefully selected to pair with your Burns Night Supper. Light and grassy single malts like Glenkinchie 12 year old or Craigellachie 13 year old are perfect for the pre-dinner toast, whereas deeper and richer flavours illustrated in malts like Arbeg Uigeadail or Octomore 10.4 pair wonderfully with the hearty Haggis. We include an Auchentoshan American Oak and Aberfeldy 16 year old which matches the sweetness of Cranachan, a traditional Scottish dessert.

“Tell them wha hae the chief direction,
Scotland an' me's in great affliction,
E'er sin' they laid that curst restriction
On aqua-vitae;
An' rouse them up to strong conviction,
An' move their pity.”

The Author's Earnest Cry and Prayer, Robert Burns, 1786

click here for the full poem.

See the famous poem ‘Address to a Haggis’ below, traditionally recited during the pre-dinner toast. Why not raise your glasses and have a go! Or click here for a recording.

Is there that owre his French ragout,
Or olio that wad staw a sow,
Or fricassee wad mak her spew
Wi perfect scunner,
Looks down wi sneering, scornfu view
On sic a dinner?

Fair fa' your honest, sonsie face,
Great chieftain o the puddin'-race!
Aboon them a' ye tak your place,
Painch, tripe, or thairm:
Weel are ye wordy o' a grace
As lang's my arm. 

Poor devil! see him owre his trash,
As feckless as a wither'd rash,
His spindle shank a guid whip-lash,
His nieve a nit;
Thro bloody flood or field to dash,
O how unfit!

The groaning trencher there ye fill,
Your hurdies like a distant hill,
Your pin wad help to mend a mill
In time o need,
While thro your pores the dews distil
Like amber bead. 

But mark the Rustic, haggis-fed,
The trembling earth resounds his tread,
Clap in his walie nieve a blade,
He'll make it whissle;
An legs an arms, an heads will sned,
Like taps o thrissle.

His knife see rustic Labour dight,
An cut you up wi ready slight,
Trenching your gushing entrails bright,
Like onie ditch;
And then, O what a glorious sight,
Warm-reekin, rich!

Ye Pow'rs, wha mak mankind your care,
And dish them out their bill o fare,
Auld Scotland wants nae skinking ware
That jaups in luggies:
But, if ye wish her gratefu prayer,
Gie her a Haggis

Address to a Haggis, Robert Burns, 1786

Then, horn for horn, they stretch an strive:
Deil tak the hindmost, on they drive,
Till a' their weel-swall'd kytes belyve
Are bent like drums;
The auld Guidman, maist like to rive,
'Bethankit' hums.