With Burns Night landing on a Friday this year there’s sure to be many a dram raised in Rabbie’s honour around Auld Reekie.
If you’re looking for something a little less traditional, however, these Edinburgh bars are offering some mouth-watering alternatives.
(39a Queensferry St, Edinburgh EH2 4RA)
Picture: Foundry 39
This West End favourite has tweaked a classic Scotch cocktail named for the Bard himself – the Bobby Burns – and given it a rich, port sweetness.
The ‘Best Laid Schemes’ mixes Chivas Regal with complex Italian amaro, ruby port, Benedictine liqueur and two types of bitters and is served with a slice of homemade whisky shortbread.
A perfect cockle-warmer for a crisp January night.
(4-6 Dean St, Edinburgh EH4 1LW)
Picture: Good Brothers Wine Bar
Good Brothers in Stockbridge will be hosting a contemporary Burns Dinner and offering a Celtic riff on a Dark N Stormy called ‘The Tipsy Bard’, substituting dark rum for a much lighter Auchentoshan single malt and mixing in their own in-house ginger syrup for a fiery zing. Too many of those and you may be slurring your sleekits too…
Contact Good Brothers on 0131 315 3311 for more details.
(23 W Register St, Edinburgh EH2 2AA)
Picture: Hawksmoor
As part of a sumptuous five course Burns Night Feast, Hawksmoor will be serving bespoke cocktails made with Johnnie Walker blended scotch, each specially concocted to match each course – including an apple and sherry Highball, a Scotch take on a white Negroni, a red wine punch and a pear-infused Old Fashioned using Johnnie Walker’s Game of Thrones blend the White Walker.
The food sounds rather good too...
For more details visit the website or call 0131 526 4790
(67 Canongate, Edinburgh EH8 8BT)
Picture: Kilderkin
It’s Burns Week at Kilderkin. From the 22nd to the 26th they will be serving their whisky in a slightly different way with Glenfiddich Fire & Cane whisky infused into a haggis and mozzarella pizza.
You can also get the classic Haggis, Neeps and Tatties – also with a whisky infusion – and their popular Frankie Goes To Holyrood pizza is just £4.
(23 Commercial St, Edinburgh EH6 6JA)
The quirky weather-themed bar and restaurant has plumped for a whisky-free homage to The Ploughman Poet, offering instead a Scottish gin-based take on that other Burns Night staple the humble cranachan.
Combining Eden Mill’s Original Gin and Love liqueur with cream, toasted oats and meringue, the ‘Love To Love’ cocktail will definitely find affection from sweet-toothed Leithers.
