Burns Night Menu and Whisky Pairing
In my last Blog Entry, I wrote about Robbie Burns and about his life. The Scottish Bard is known for his songs, his poems, his loves, his life and his early death. And his contribution to Scottish life is celebrated every year on his birthday. Burns Night is the 25th January! So to help prepare and enjoy the celebrations, here is a Burns Night Menu – of course with whisky pairings with each course that will not break the bank!
An Aperitif To Begin
Yes, we will get to the food later, but let’s start with a drink. To get the evening started, there can only be one aperitif. A whisky from Arran that carries the great man’s name. Arran is the only distillery authorized by the Burns Federation to use his name and likeness. The reason is that Arran Distillery is the closest distillery to Robbie’s birthplace. He would have had a view of Arran when he was on his father’s farm. Although there is no hard evidence that he ever visited Arran. Whatever! It is a great way to start a Burns Night and not an expensive one either! This single malt whisky sells for around 35€ a bottle! Distilled at Arran Distillery, it is matured in a selection of finest ex-Bourbon & ex-Sherry Casks. A No Age Statement whisky, but do not let that get in your way. Bottled at 43% ABV.
NOSE – Sweet and creamy, with notes of honey, toffee glazed pecans, and fresh summer fruits.
PALATE – A perfect combination of rich malt and lush vanilla notes forms a beautifully refreshing and smooth palate. Light and sweet at first followed by tantalising spice and oak.
FINISH – Clean and fresh with an aftertaste of hazelnuts and milk chocolate.
The Starter - Cullen Skink
The first course of food is a Scottish tradition called Cullen Skink. Cullen skink is a thick Scottish soup made of smoked haddock, potatoes, and onions.
This soup is a local specialty, from the town of Cullen in Moray, on the northeast coast of Scotland. Local recipes for Cullen skink have several slight variations, such as the use of milk instead of water or the addition of single cream. Other variations include mashing the potatoes to make the soup thicker. Make it the way you like it.
It has been described as "smokier and more assertive than American chowder, heartier than classical French bisque". And it is Scottish!
Which Dram To Pair With Cullen Skink
The good news is that Cullen Skink is both smoky and sweet leaving it way open to a pairing of your own choice. But personally, I would take a slightly smoky whisky matured in an American Oak cask, giving a sweetness that does not challenge the flavour of the Skink.
I recommend a Talisker which will bring a taste of the sea. Maybe a Talisker Storm, with its mellow, honeyed sweetness could be a great choice that will not break the bank at a price around 50€ per bottle. Talisker Storm was released in early 2013 as a no age statement whisky, which is matured in specifically selected refill and toasted American oak casks. An intense and vibrant dram, the Storm offers up plenty of distillery character alongside some smokier depth and complexity.
NOSE: Initial brine, but quite creamy. Banana. Banana angel delight? Window putty, hint of sticking plasters and barbecues, citrus. White pepper develops towards the bottom of the glass.
PALATE: Thick and mouth-coating with wood smoke, brine, some tin and chilli heat too.
FINISH: Red chilli peppers and oak dryness with a hint of embers.
The Main Course - Haggis, Neeps and Tatties!
There is no debate to be had about the main course. Haggis, Neeps and Tatties. Otherwise called Haggis, Swede and Potatoes.
Personally, I love eating haggis, but I get that many people are a bit reluctant. The reason is probably due to what it was, and not what it is now. Originally, a haggis was the offal from a sheep, cooked inside the sheep’s stomach. But nowadays, haggis is a simply lamb, beef, oats, onions and spices, put together in a sausage-like skin. Haggis is basically like an oaty, spicy mince and a great source of iron, fibre and carbohydrate. It can be boiled, roasted in the oven or microwaved.
The Swede and the Potatoes are mashed (not together!). The potatoes need to be fluffy and buttery and creamy, and the swede needs to be well boiled but mashed without any additives except seasoning and maybe a nob of butter. The dish should be accompanied by a whisky cream sauce, and I have added my favourite recipe for this at the end of the blog.
Which Dram Pairs With Haggis, Neeps and Tatties?
The perfect pairing for this is Bruichladdich Octomore. It is dense with peat smoke and will really bring out the peppery spice of the meat. The peat is warming and earthy, with big aromatic notes of heather and herbs. It also has a slightly sweet note, which again will only serve to enhance the flavours of the haggis. Octomore is a whisky that might well stretch your budget, costing over 100€ per bottle, so a good alternative, also from Islay, is a Bowmore. I would recommend a Bowmore 15. It sells for around 60€ per bottle and is real value for money.
NOSE: Dark and punchy. Sherry notes, juicy Corinth raisins. Spices. Creamy, mochaccino, sweet dates.
PALATE: Rich, woody, pine oil. Syrupy. Lovely, creamy toffee and malt. Smoky.
FINISH: Spicy, toffee, sherry, barley.
The Dessert - Cranachan
A classic Scottish dessert, cranachan is a beautiful medley of double cream, toasted oats, raspberries, honey and a great big slosh of whisky. It's the perfect ending to a Burns Night feast. It has been called 'the uncontested king of Scottish desserts'. Cranachan owes its origins to crowdie, a popular breakfast in which crowdie cheese is combined with lightly toasted oatmeal, cream, and local honey. Raspberries, when in season, might be added to the breakfast. A traditional way to serve cranachan is to bring dishes of each ingredient to the table so that each person can assemble their own dessert to taste.
Which Dram To Pair With Cranachan?
When you have a whisky flight, it is usual to end with peatier, stronger tasting whiskies. But it is Burns Night and well, we can do what we want right? So far we have had smokey and peaty whiskies, but with such a wonderfully sweet dessert, you need something with a sweeter taste – probably a sherry cask based whisky. I would recommend a 14 year old Aberlour from the Speyside region. This has been matured in a combination of Oloroso sherry casks and first-fill American oak casks, producing fruity, spicy, sherried notes. And another gem that will not hurt your wallet as it sells for around 60€.
NOSE: Big aromatics on this one with cloves, cardamom and camphor, and then comes a wave of sweeter notes like toffee, milk chocolate and orange rind.
PALATE: Full texture, round and creamy, with sweet dark cherries, fudge, and mocha coffee with a refreshing minty breeze.
FINISH: Quite long with lingering honey and wood spice.
A Whisky Cream Sauce Recipe To Die For!
Ingredients:
- 125ml of beef stock
- 100ml of double cream
- 15ml of Octomore or Bowmore Whisky
- 2 shallots
- Chervil, Mace, Ground white pepper, Salt
- Butter and Oil
Finely dice the shallots and sweat in butter and oil. Add the Whisky to your pan (watch out, this will produce a flame!), whilst flaming, add in the beef stock. Let the liquid reduce by a third before you add in the cream and season with ground pepper and a small amount of salt and mace. Finish with some finely chopped chervil.