Toast to the Lassies

Every January 25^th marks Burns Night in Scotland, the anniversary of the birth of national poet Robert Burns. One of the leading names of the romantic age, Burns is familiar to us neighbouring gaels as the author of Auld Lang Syne and Ae Fond Kiss. The night is celebrated all over the world and we decided that this year we want to join in.

Traditional fare at a Burns Supper includes haggis, Scotch whisky and a recital of poetry. Not having a sheep’s stomach to hand, we’ve asked Gar Lambe of the impeccably cool Vintage Cocktail Club for a Scotch whisky cocktail recipe for us to enjoy Burns Night old-fashioned style. As Robbie Burns himself said: ?O thou, my muse!?guid?auld Scotch drink!?

The Wee Dram

40ml Chivas Regal 12 year old

20ml Cockburn Ruby Port

20ml Poire Williams

20ml Apple liqueur

To garnish: Pimento dram mist, orange zest, cherry

Add all of the ingrediants to a mixing glass and stir until all the flavours combine and enough dilution is reached. Then strain all this brew over one large ice cube in an ice cold short tumbler. The ice cube ought to be roughly 2 inches by 2 inches.

And now for the Pimento dram – Gar recommends ?the bitter truth? Pimento dram – put that into an atomizer or a small spray bottle, old perfume bottles are good, and spray the Pimento mist across the cocktail from a height. Let the mist just fall on the surface, then take a good-sized rectangular orange zest and twist it over the cocktail leaving the oils on the cocktail surface. Twist the peel and place it in the glass. Drop in a cherry and serve.

Sl?inte!

Jeanne Sutton @jeannedesutun