It's the age old question, which usually crops up around Burns night - what whisky or whiskies pair well with haggis?
As it's almost Burns night, we've spoken to some experts to get their advice on what whisky to pair with your haggis, neeps and tatties on the 25 January, or whenever you're enjoying this traditional meal.
On a Burns night Scran podcast, we spoke to Peter Holroyd of Kingsbarns distillery in Fife, and he recommended a rich sherried whisky, which will stand up against the spices in the haggis.
He said: "With whisky you're either going to go for something that's a contrast or something that is similar to the food. I'd probably go with something that's a bit rich and fruity."
From their collection, the Balcomie sherry cask, £43.95, is ideal for pairing with haggis.
If a sherry influenced whisky sounds up your street, Glenmorangie Lasanta is another one to try.
Gaelic for “warmth and passion,” the 12-year-old single-malt Lasanta is extra-matured in Spanish sherry casks.
Priced at £48, Glenmorangie Lasanta is a smooth, sweet whisky which works well with haggis.
In our 2020 Burns night Scran podcast, Mark Thomson Glenfiddich's Scotland brand ambassador, recommended the Glenfiddich 15 year old, saying: "it's one of the whiskies I always go for. It has the balance of sweet and spice and it's put together in an unusual solera vat system. It cuts through the richness of the food, and doesn't overpower."
Or why not head to Campbeltown for a classic dram from Glen Scotia?
The award-winning Glen Scotia Victoriana is finished in deep charred oak, offering a smooth single malt whisky where aroma and flavour work in harmony.
Bottled in the traditional way, straight from the cask and without filtration, its subtle wood and vanilla flavour is enhanced by a full-bodied spicy fruit aroma and mildly smoky aftertaste.
Master Distiller at Glen Scotia distillery, Iain McAlister, said: “Full of flavour with lots of smoke, Glen Scotia Victoriana is the perfect dram to pair with a traditional Burns Supper as the haggis is piped into the room. Enjoy with a drop of water, or neat.”
If you'd like to try a blend this Burns night, then Master of Malt recommends Outlander star, Sam Heughan's The Sassenach whisky, £79.90.
We reckon this light, sweet yet spicy dram would be an ideal toast to the haggis.
