THERE is surely no more welcome date in January than the 25th, a day that celebrates not one but two of Scotland’s most famous – and cherished – exports.
As well as providing an opportunity to celebrate the life and work of Robert Burns, the annual festivity in his name features a number of toasts, traditionally accompanied by - what else? - Scotland's national drink. The fact that many Burns Night celebrations feature raucous ceilidhs, thus delivering some much-needed relief from the long, bleak midwinter nights provides yet another reason to participate.
His poetry still speaks to millions at home and abroad, and Burns Night has helped keep the Bard's spirit alive more than 220 years after his death. Nowhere more so than in Glasgow, which hosts some of the liveliest Burns suppers anywhere and is home to an array of fascinating links to the poet, not to mention some of the world’s great whisky bars.
The surrounding areas also overflow with whisky and Burns, and with this in mind we set ourselves a challenge: the best of both within 90 minutes' travel of Glasgow city centre. We were not disappointed.
Stand next to the bard
Erected on 25 January 1877, 118 years after his death, the Burns statue in George Square - sculpted by Scot George Edwin Ewing and paid for by the people of Glasgow - gives the Bard a central presence in Scotland’s biggest city. Burns was widely revered throughout the 19th century, and more than 10,000 people formed a procession from Glasgow Green to attend the unveiling of the statue, with thousands more lining the streets.
Burns remains an iconic figure today and the statue provides an impressive - and poetic - reminder to the thousands of council workers, commuters, shoppers and visitors that walk by it every day.
Have a dram
The all-time best whisky bar in Glasgow? That’s a tough one…but few would argue that The Pot Still shouldn’t make at least the top three. The city centre institution has more than 700 whiskies on its shelves, leaving even lifelong aficionados spoiled for choice. Drop in at any lunchtime or in the early evening and you’re likely to find an eclectic mix of locals and visitors relaxing with a nip, while knowledgeable, friendly staff guide experts and novices alike to just the right bottle. And the pies are excellent, too.
If you’re venturing west, fellow institutions the Ben Nevis in Finnieston and the Lismore in Partick offer a staggering choice of malts and blends in traditional, friendly surroundings.
Meanwhile, those looking to learn more about the history of whisky and the role Glasgow played in the industry over the centuries (not to mention some top tasting opportunities), should take in the Glasgow City Centre Whisky Tour (onceuponawhisky.co.uk), which includes five premium drams.
Visit the site of the Black Bull Inn
Between June 1787 and March 1788 Burns made a number of trips to Glasgow, staying at the Black Bull Inn, one of the top hostelries of its day, at the junction between Argyle Street and Glassford Street, now the Merchant City.
At the time, Burns was engaged in a passionate correspondence – and love affair - with Glasgow-born Agnes McLehose, a married woman living in Edinburgh, for whom the song Ae Fond Kiss was written. The poet wrote at least one letter to her – sign under the pseudonym Sylvander, to her Clarinda - while lodging at the inn, which was built for the Highland Society in 1758.
The building itself may be long gone but the plaque erected on the corner of Virginia Street to commemorate his stays is an evocative reminder not only of Burns’ strong links with Glasgow, but the powerful and poignant love poems he wrote, that still stand up today.
Scotland's Insider Guide: Inverurie
Get festive
If Burn’s Night has given you a taste for the water of life – and your hangover allows – the third National Whisky Festival (nationalwhiskyfestival.scot) is the place to be on Saturday 26 January. The hip SWG3 complex transforms into a whisky-lover’s paradise for the event, part of the renowned Celtic Connections festival, which hosts more than 30 exhibitors from all over the world, showcasing over 100 whiskies. A taste of each is included in the ticket entry price. The event also has live music and dancing, not to mention great local scran to keep you hale and hearty as you sup.
If you can’t make this event, Glasgow’s Whisky Festival (glasgowwhiskyfestival.com), which also attracts exhibitors and visitors from all over Scotland and beyond, takes place at Hampden Park on November 09.
Sit down with Burns
Burns’ influence on Glasgow continues to grow and flourish, as evidenced by the founding of the Centre for Robert Burns Studies at the University of Glasgow (gla.ac.uk) in 2007. Another of the city’s ancient institutions, Glasgow Cathedral (Glasgowcathedral.org.uk), was presented with a group of specially engraved chairs in 1996 to mark the bi-centenary of the Bard’s death. The seats, engraved with a mouse, a sheaf of corn and a rose, signifying three of the best-loved images in Burn’s work, and are still used and appreciated by members of the congregation and visitors alike.
In with the new
Whisky runs through the heart Glasgow’s industrial heritage, though the city’s once numerous Clydeside stills emptied for the last time more than a century ago. All that changed in 2017 with the opening of the Clydeside Distillery, created at a former pumphouse on the banks of river between the Riverside Museum and the Hydro, on the site – Queens Dock - built by the current chairman’s great grandfather in 1877. Though the new spirit is not yet ready for consumption, there’s plenty to do, see and taste on a tour of the site, not to mention stunning views of the Clyde and beyond.
Glasgow is clearly rediscovering its taste for making as well as drinking whisky, with another new distillery, the Clutha, due to open later this year across the river at Pacific Quay.
Where it all began
Just an hour from Glasgow city centre is the humble thatched cottage in Alloway, Ayrshire, where Burns - known as the Ploughman Poet - was born and lived with his family, side by side with their farm animals.
Now a museum, Burn Cottage (burnsmuseum.org) remains a hugely evocative place, taking you back in time to the simplicity of rural life in mid-18th Scotland. We see the tiny box bed that young Rabbie shared with his three siblings, and outside the smallholding that he tended alongside his father, and brother Gilbert has been re-created. This is the place that first fired the imagination of the young poet and the walls are daubed with his verse, as well as a braw selection of guid Scots words.
Twenty minutes away by car from Alloway is the Burns House Museum (eastayrshireleisure.com) on the cobbled streets of Mauchline, the dwelling where he lived during his most creative and productive period, and where Holy Willie first came to life on the page.
Scotland's Insider Guide: Inverurie
Blend your own
If you’re looking for a truly personal whisky experience, a trip to the Glengoyne distillery (www.glengoyne.com) 40 minutes from Glasgow city centre is a must. As well as a lively tour of the distillery and the chance to sample the label's 12-year-old single malt, you’ll have the chance to create a dram of your own, sampling and mixing the different casks – from Bourbon to sherry, American to European - that gives each different whisky its unique flavour. Your one-off creation will then be presented in a 200ml bottle, complete with its own label and recipe. Definitely one to keep for a future Burns Night.
Fly to whisky island
Islay has a special, mythical, almost religious significance for whisky drinkers, with many believing the smoky, peaty spirits produced at the island’s eight distilleries to be the best in the world. There’s certainly nowhere in the world that knows more about producing the spirit than the Queen of the Hebrides, as the island is known. Even if you’re not a fan of whisky, however, there is so much on this enchanting island to enjoy, whether it’s the magnificent wildlife and birdlife, the dramatic landscapes and seascapes, or the excellent food and hospitality. And it all just a 45-minute flight from Glasgow. See loganair.com for more details.
Glasgow, Gateway to Scotland a partnership between People Make Glasgow and Glasgow Airport, in association with The Herald, aims to attract more US visitors and capitalise on a recent growth in overseas tourists by highlighting the city’s position as both a must-see destination in itself, and the ideal base for accessing Scotland’s landscapes, history and culture.
It's easy to fly from the US to Glasgow
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Aer Lingus – multiple US airports to and from Glasgow via Dublin www.aerlingus.com
KLM - multiple US airports to and from Glasgow via Amsterdam Schipol www.klm.com
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