Burns Supper is a celebration of the life and legacy of the Scottish poet Robert Burns. The poet wrote more than 550 poems and songs before he passed away in 1796 and was known for his commentary on all things political. Scotland’s national poet is deemed a revolutionary figure in his country and beyond.
Burns Night may make you think of bagpipes, kilts and poems, but the real focus of the night is the hearty supper. Peppery haggis, mashed neeps and tatties, and Scotch whisky grace dinner tables on the evening of the 25th January. After the celebrations and rituals, end the evening with our whisky and cheese pairing enjoyed near a crackling fire, whilst reading some of his famous poems.
"O thou, my muse! guid auld Scotch drink!"
Extra Mature Cheddar & Wolfburn Langskip
Our Extra Mature's rich and complex flavour profile needs an equally rich and complex whisky to match up. Whiskies aged in bourbon barrels have a wonderfully deep and layered flavour with typical notes of caramel and vanilla, so we recommend a whisky which has been aged in first-fill bourbon casks so it takes on as many of the bourbon characteristics as possible.
Wolfburn Distillery is Scotland's first and last mainland distillery and crafts a single-malt whisky called Langskip. Langskip, taken from the Norse word for longship – the Viking raiding ships that once dominated the Caithness coastline - is matured entirely in first-fill bourbon casks. This gives the whisky a unique richness and an extraordinary depth of flavour. First flavours to burst onto the palate are rich and sweet, including maple syrup, dark chocolate, almonds and raisins. The finish lingers warmly – hints of vanilla gently fade away with a comforting trace of caramel at the end.
Buttery Cheddar & anCnoc 12 Year Old
Our youngest Buttery Cheddar is typically aged for just three months, meaning it's full of the richness and creaminess of our grass-fed cows and the Devonshire milk they produce. Highland whiskies with lots of deep and complex flavour will simply overpower this gentle and light cheese, so we're looking for something to compliment the delicate flavours. Lowland malt whiskies with a light, floral and heathery taste will work well. Even though some connoisseurs have high opinions about blended whiskies, these work well with light cheeses like the Buttery (and will most likely be a little cheaper than single malt too).
anCnoc Distillery [pronounced: a-nock] is a progressive distillery crafting refreshingly modern whiskies, and although classed as a Highland distillery, it is producing lighter-tasting single malt. The anCnoc 12 year old has honeysuckle on the nose and starts off fairly sweet with an appetising fruitiness. It has a long smooth finish; a great accompaniment to the light buttery cheddar. Scapa also pairs perfectly with Buttery.
Oak Smoked Cheddar & Dalmore 15
The smoky, buttery and creamy notes of the Oak Smoked Cheddar call for a rich Highland malt whisky to match up to the strong flavour. Single malts aged in sherry casks that are smooth, rich and well-rounded work well. Peaty whiskies will be too smoky so try to look for unpeated whiskies for smoked cheese.
Located north of the capital of the Scottish Highlands, Inverness, The Dalmore Distillery is located on a stunning stretch of Scottish coastline. Like us, Dalmore holds a lot of heritage, with their history dating back to the reign of King Alexander III in 1263. Their single malt, The Dalmore 15, is finished in different styles of sherry casks including Apostoles, Amoroso and Matusalem oloroso giving it beautiful rich notes of mandarin, vanilla, ginger and crushed apples.
Quicke's Tasting Tip: Pinch your nose with your fingers before nibbling on a piece of Oak Smoked Cheddar. Once it's in your mouth and you've warmed it with your tongue, release your fingers and get ready to be hit with a distinctly smoky taste.
PAIRING RESOURCES
- Cheese Pairing App - search for 'cheese pairing' in the App Store
- Use the Scotch Malt Whisky website to find whiskies with certain flavour profiles
