The 10 best Scotch whiskies for Burns night - including new dram from Robert Burns’ farm

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Burns night is just around the corner, and if you’re looking to celebrate with a dram or two, these are some of the best.

Burns night is taking place this year on Saturday 25 January, and is a perfect excuse to get together with friends and family over a meal and a dram or two of whisky.

With so many brands available, we’ve picked some of the best Scotch whiskies with which to toast Rabbie Burns.

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This article contains affiliate links. We may earn a small commission on items purchased through this article, but that does not affect our editorial judgement.

Lochlea 6 year old

Lochlea

Field-to-cask Ayrshire distillery Lochlea will launch its oldest whisky yet: the Lochlea 6-Year-Old.

This release marks the second age-statement whisky from Lochlea, following the Lochlea 5-Year-Old, which sold out on its launch day in January 2024.

The Lochlea 6-Year-Old will launch on the 24th of January, highlighting the historic connection between Lochlea and Robert Burns, who lived and worked on Lochlea Farm between 1777 and 1784.

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Lochlea master blender Jill Boyd and distillery manager Darren McCormick carefully hand-selected six casks for this release (three Bourbon barrels and three Oloroso Sherry casks) that were all filled in 2018.

With just 2,500 bottles available worldwide, the Lochlea 6-Year-Old retails for £90.00 RRP. It will be available via Lochlea stockists from January 24, while stocks last.

This release combines Lochlea’s commitment to quality with a celebration of Burns Night, making it a fitting tribute to Scotland’s national bard.

For something available now, try Lochlea’s award winning house whisky – Our Barley – which is an approachable, delicious dram for both whisky aficionados and those new to single malts.

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This elegant, unpeated single malt whisky is a marriage of spirit matured in three different cask types: first-fill ex-bourbon barrels, Oloroso sherry butts and STR barriques, all of which add depth of flavour to the final spirit.

Isle of Arran Distillers Robert Burns single malt

Arran distillers

Nothing says Burns night dram than one named after and inspired by the bard himself. Isle of Arran Distillers have been producing a Robert Burns branded single malt since 1995.

This whisky was produced in recognition of being the closest distillery, at the time, to Burns' birthplace of Alloway in Ayrshire. Burns indeed would have seen Arran most days from his home village.

This light aromatic single malt is produced 100 per cent in Bourbon barrels making it a light fruity dram with lots of vanilla notes.

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A very versatile dram, inspired by Scottish poet Robert Burns, this whisky can be enjoyed alone, with water or ice, or in a long drink.

Scotch Malt Whisky Society Cask No. 88.31 Supper Sipper

Mike Wilkinson

The world’s biggest whisky club, The Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS), has released a new whisky to celebrate Burns Night, as well as staging 12 special tasting events across the UK.

The new release, Cask No. 88.31 Supper Sipper, is a 15-year-old single malt whisky additionally matured in a first-fill Pedro Ximénez hogshead.

Bottled at 56.1% ABV, the Society selected this limited edition of 264 bottles as a toast to Scotland’s national bard, Robert Burns.

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This is the final bottle from the Society’s Winter Series collection, following Supernaturally Sweet Smoke (released at Halloween), Merry Christmas, and Welcome In, 2025 which was released at Hogmanay.

Tasting notes include: Assam tea, malted barley, caramelised orange zest, rocky road, featuring milk and dark chocolate, coconut and glacé cherries, hints of cranberry, maple syrup and tropical mango.

Glen Moray 15 year old

Glen Moray

A delicious single malt that marries two very different cask types in one delicious dram that’s ideal for Burns night.

With half spending its life in American oak embodying Glen Moray's classic style, the other half maturing in oloroso sherry casks resplendent with rich spice, this whisky brings their contrasting styles together to craft intensely complex layers.

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With notes of dried fruits, dark chocolate and spice, amplified by age, this Scotch whisky is a perfect treat for single malt lovers.

House of Hazelwood The Lowlander

John Paul Photography/House of Hazelwood

Burns was born in the Scottish Lowlands (in Ayrshire) and although his ambitions took him across Scotland, it is irrefutable that he held his home of origin in great regard.

Therefore, what better way to symbolise this love for home than celebrating with a glass of The Lowlander, a 36-Year-Old Blended Scotch Whisky?

Described as the epitome of the often-overlooked Scottish Lowlands, this expression is wonderfully evocative, producing notes of granite, meadow grass and spun sugar.

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It was in Burns’ lifetime that the Lowlands region was officially designated making this more than a fitting tribute for a Burns Night supper.

Bladnoch Alinta

Bladnoch

Alinta, an indigenous word from several southeast Australian language groups, means ‘fire’ and ‘flames’, and evokes the notes of campfire embers found in each sip.

A sweet, smoky, peated spirit, Bladnoch Alinta takes its flavour from maturation in Pedro Ximénez sherry and ex-bourbon casks, which sets this whisky apart from anything previously released by Bladnoch.

Craigellachie 13 Year Old Armagnac Cask Finish

Craigellachie

This eye-catching Speyside distillery is one of only a few that uses worm tubs - a traditional type of condenser and this 13 year old whisky celebrates these.

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The Craigellachie 13 Year Old Armagnac Cask Finish is part of the cask finishing collection, where the whiskies in this range have all been finished in oak casks from producers that also use worm tubs.

The inaugural release in this collection showcases the award-winning 13-year-old Craigellachie Single Malt, finished in Bas-Armagnac casks originating from the northernmost region of Gascony, France.

This finish adds a smoothness to the robust character of the Craigellachie whisky, which had been matured in ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks before spending a year in Bas-Armagnac casks.

Tasting notes include orchard fruits, toffee, caramel, orange, coffee and vine fruits.

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Inchdairnie Ryelaw

Inchdairnie

RyeLaw is the world's first malted rye-based whisky, which is exclusively produced by InchDairnie Distillery in Fife.

The whisky, which was distilled in 2017, is the result of years of meticulous planning by distillery founder Ian Palmer.

A single-minded approach to using innovative materials, methods and maturation practices has resulted in a spicy rye flavour.

Precision distilled in a Lomond Hill still and then matured in new oak casks, RyeLaw is a balanced whisky with decadent notes of crème caramel, vanilla sweetness and gentle spice - making it the perfect tipple to address your haggis.

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The Glen Grant 25 year old

Glen Grant

Golden Hour: The Glen Grant 25-Year-Old: This whisky embodies the warmth of the setting sun, with rich flavours of dark chocolate, zesty orange, oak, and nutmeg, culminating in a finish of warm spice and a hint of soft smoke.

Bottled at 46% ABV, natural in colour, and non-chill filtered, it celebrates the magic of golden hour.

The Macallan: A Night on Earth in Jerez de la Frontera

Macallan

The Macallan: A Night on Earth in Jerez de la Frontera is the third release in the A Night on Earth series.

A single malt Scotch whisky matured in a perfectly balanced combination of European and American sherry seasoned oak casks, inspired by Jerez de la Frontera, Spain, where The Macallan’s casks are carefully crafted and sherry seasoned.

This limited-edition is the ultimate gift to celebrate Burns Night.

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