On January 25, Burns Night is celebrated in many parts of the world by Scots and fans of Robert Burns, who was born on that day in 1759. The proceedings usually include the reciting of Burn's poetry, including the Address to the Haggis, and a feast of Scottish dishes with haggis as part of the offerings. Last, but not least, a celebration of things Scottish must include Scotch whisky.
Here is where Paul Rickett of the Bowen Island Wine Store comes in. He has taken a close look at the shelves in his store and, together with the Snug Cafe, planned an evening extraordinaire. In Robert Burn's honour, Bowen Islanders will be treated to a night of Scotch tasting on Friday, January 25, at 7 to 9 p.m. Unfortunately the tickets, capped at 40, were sold out due to the Snug's limited capacity.
"We will have nine Scotches to taste," Rickett says. "And we pair them with food like haggis, Scotch eggs, etc." Rickett added that the menu will be sure to deliver an array of Scottish delicacies including something sweet.
With nine different Scotches, each test sample will be about half an ounce, says Rickett. "That comes to a total of four and a half servings of Scotch," he explained, "At a bar, a serving is usually a single ounce, unless you order a double." To add a dash of mystery to the experience, Rickett plans on keeping the labels hidden. "We won't tell which Scotch we are serving in advance. And we won't reveal the price," he says. "That is an opportunity for Scotch connoisseurs as well as for people who haven't been experimenting before. It will show the wide variety that is available." The line-up will also include some non-Scotch single malts.
With such offerings, it is only prudent to plan ahead for getting home safely, says Rickett, adding that he's made arrangements for rides.
