Nothing exorcises the miserable spirit of January – dry or otherwise – like a Burns Night celebration. A whisky-fuelled supper to mark Robert Burns’s birthday is the perfect remedy to dreich midwinter days. It’s a bandwagon on to which I gladly jump each year, despite having no connection to Scotland whatsoever. And so should you.
Along with a well-thumbed paperback of the Bard’s greatest hits, you’ll also want to ensure you have a bottle or two of the best scotch on standby for the address to the haggis. Whether you enjoy the in-your-face smoke of Islay whisky, prefer a refined Highland single malt, or are up for trying something a little more surprising, I’ve handpicked a selection of delicious drams to raise a fitting toast to Rabbie Burns.
I tasted every whisky on this list neat, with a view to it being sipped alongside traditional Scottish fare, and I’ve tried to include various styles, ages, price points and producers. But in the spirit of Burns, his Scotch Drink is for everyone, so if you like yours as a highball, stirred into a Manhattan with vermouth, or opened up with a splash of water, then go ahead. Bag piping is optional, the neeps and tatties are not!
The best whisky in 2025
Best aged single malt
Glenmorangie 18-year-old the Infinita, 70cl
£124 at Master Of Malt
£119.99 at Amazon
It’s easy to spend silly money on aged single malts, but this (almost) accessibly priced 18-year-old Glenmorangie is a safe bet for scotch fans. Its honeyed spice notes morph into burnt orange, jasmine and wood smoke for a deeply delicious dram for any whisky connoisseur. This tasted fantastic rounding off a special dinner as a celebratory digestif.
Best sustainable whisky
Nc’nean organic single malt, 70cl
£51.95 at Master of Malt
£51.95 at the Whisky Exchange
Made from organic barley on the wild west coast of Scotland, Nc’nean is single malt scotch – but not as you know it. Female-founded, B Corp-accredited and the first UK whisky distillery to achieve net zero emissions, it tastes good and does good. It’s also a Great Taste Award winner. It’s fresh and lively with lemon and opens up to candied citrus sweets with a dash of tropicality. I found it divine in a highball with a sprig of fresh mint.
Best aged blended whisky
GlenAllachie White Heather 15-year-old, 70cl
£47.22 at the Single Malt Shop
£58.95 at Master of Malt
White heather is a rare variant of the ubiquitous purple flower with rich symbolism in Scottish folklore; stumbling across a patch is said to bring luck, and brides often include a sprig in their bouquet. Lucky you to be trying this wonderful blend from GlenAllachie’s master distiller, I say. Single malts from across Scotland combine to create a heather-honeyed balance of oranges, mocha and a faint wisp of smoke – I found it dangerously drinkable.
Best peated whisky
Tobermory Ledaig 10-year single malt scotch, 70cl
£39.95 at the Whiskey Exchange
£39.95 at Amazon
Hailing from the Inner Hebridean Isle of Mull, this is a more approachable peated whisky than the famed neighbouring Islay styles. More freshness and minerality make for a more measured sip, yet it still retains that unmistakable smoky island character. Soft peat mingles with a medicinal nose that’s happily more peppery and vanilla-based on the palate, though the background of smoke persists. At this price, you can afford to try it even if you think island whiskies aren’t for you; you may just surprise yourself.
Best small-batch whisky
Holyrood Distillery Ambir single malt, 70cl
£59.95 at the Whisky Exchange
£64 at Holyrood Distillery
Fresh from winning gold in the small-batch category at the World Whisky Awards, Ambir is the third iteration of single malts from newcomer Holyrood Distillery. Using four speciality malts chosen for their dessert-style textures and flavours, Ambir is perfect for enjoying as an after-dinner drink. The tempting tastes of Scottish tablet, buttery fudge and jammy cornflake tart abound, with a subtle leathery savouriness taking it back from the brink of being too simplistic. Enjoy with – or as – pudding.
Best experimental whisky
Noble Rebel Hazelnut Harmony, 70cl
£32.33 at Master of Malt
£39.95 at The Whisky Exchange
Go nuts for this boldly experimental blended whisky from Loch Lomond Distillers, where toasted hazelnuts, almonds and oak are expertly layered with indulgent vanilla and honeycomb flavours and more than a touch of pear crumble. Using fine single malts from across the country, this is a mouthwatering marriage of grains if you like your whiskies sweet, sticky and smoke-free.
Best Speyside whisky
Benromach Contrasts Organic Speyside single malt, 70cl
£51.25 at the Whisky Exchange
£60 at Benrocmach
This is the whisky that first made me fall in love with whisky. Impossibly smooth, with unexpected but harmonious flavours of banana split, a hit of pepper and tons of malt, Benromach Contracts Organic is typically Speyside in terms of its sweetness and light, but with a cocoa richness, aged maturity and interest that its price tag suggests. It’s also the world’s first Soil Association-accredited organic scotch. Drinks like a dream in a hip flask on a cold country walk.
Best Islay whisky selection
Smokehead whisky skull gift tin, 3 x 5cl
£22.99 at Smokehead
£21.40 at Amazon
Fans of Islay scotch will enjoy making their way through this Smokehead selection flight in honour of the occasion. There are three single malts laden with seaweed, fiery peat and sweetness to be explored: original; High Voltage 58%; and Rum Rebel, which is matured in Caribbean rum casks for a tropical explosion alongside the signature sea spray and smoke. Best drunk from Smokehead’s incredible Smoke Mask glass.
Best whisky gift set
Isle of Raasay scotch gift set, 70cl
£62.95 at Still Spirit
£65 at Raasay Distillery
The rugged Hebridean island of Raasay (population 161) is home to Raasay Distillery, which produces this lightly peated single malt. Matured in rye, oak and bordeaux casks, this is a complex drop with flavours of wild dark fruit, toffee, spice and smoke. Take this smartly boxed set along for your host: two beautiful Glencairn tasting glasses are included alongside the decanter-style bottle for sharing.
Best sherry-led whisky
The Lakes Whiskymaker’s Reserve No 7, 70cl
£82.95 at the Whisky Exchange
£85.50 at Amazon
This is a bit of a rogue inclusion as it’s not strictly a scotch. But, it tastes so good – and the Lakes Distillery is less than an hour away from the Scottish border – that I’ll make an exception. The Whiskymaker’s Reserve No 7 is a single malt made in the image of whiskies like Dalmore; sherry-led, matured in oloroso and pedro ximénez casks, plus a few red wine casks thrown in for good measure. The result is richly fruited with warming spices and layers of woodiness, complex and clever and best enjoyed by a roaring fire with a hefty dose of poetry – Scottish or otherwise. It’s a bit too spendy for adding to a hot chocolate after a bone-chilling walk – but I certainly didn’t regret doing so.
Joanne Gould is a freelance food, drink and lifestyle writer with a decade of experience. As well as enthusiastically eating her way through London’s best bars and restaurants, she’s also a keen home cook and can often be found trying a new recipe or kitchen gadget, while taste-testing anything from South African wines to speciality coffee or scotch. Luckily, she also enjoys walking, running and keeping fit and healthy in her spare time – for balance
