Burns Night At The Distillery

We held our first ever Burns Supper dinner at the distillery on the 25th January 2018.

We asked our Visitor Experience Manager, Iain Hector Ross to recount the evening for us:

Last night the skirl of the pipes resounded around the distillery to celebrate the birthday of Scotland’s Bard and favourite Excise Officer Robert Burns. Fifteen year old Ratharsach Jennifer Macleod delighted the forty or so islanders and distillery staff who had gathered for first Burns Supper on the island for some years. Jennifer led the march into the Gathering Room playing the famous Burns tune ‘A Man’s a Man for A’ That’ as the haggis was danced around the tables by our chef and head of hospitality Barbara Martin. Then Jennifer roused the room before the meal with the ever-popular ‘Mrs Macleod of Raasay’.

After the Selkirk Grace from chair of the evening Alasdair Day, the Haggis was toasted by yours truly, the Lassies were teasingly toasted by John William Gillies and the Lassies responded feistily in the well chosen words of Lyn Rowe. Unfortunately flu has hit the island badly in recent weeks and we were sorry that many of our friends were laid low and missed out on a wonderful night of fine food, music, humour and of course, whisky. This was first event of its kind in the distillery and by the smiles and the feedback we have received , the first of many.

By the way, did you know that Burns has a strong Raasay connection? Needless to say it involves a lass and in this case the lass was Isabella Macleod, daughter of the Raasay Macleod clan chief. Burns got to know her in Edinburgh and penned a morose poem for her on hearing of the tragic death of her brother. She went on to become a celebrated figure in her own right as a collector of traditional Gaelic songs and tunes.

So put Friday January 25th in your diary for next year when we do it all again.

Slàinte
Iain Hector Ross