Burns Night and Saving Lives: Talisker for RNLI

Posted by Cheryl on Feb 9, 2011 in News | 1 comment

Smoked mussel salad and peppered mackerel pate might not be the first things that come to mind in relation to Burns Night, but it’s certainly a tasty way to start an evening, traditional or not. When I was piped into Loch Fyne restaurant in Newhaven, having never been before, I was impressed by the extent of the premises, which take up an old fish market on the harbour.

The polished wood and classic look of the interior make Loch Fyne look anything but old. However, with the words “How worthy of honour is the sea” etched above the bar, everyone is reminded of the ocean’s ancient and mighty power. I pondered this as I nibbled at a selection of mostly sea themed delights, which included mini fish cakes, Cullen Skink, salmon and cream cheese canapés, and just a wee bit of haggis pakora.

The Burns celebration at Loch Fyne was thought up by Talisker, who organised the night to raise funds for lifeboat charity RNLI. The absence of a dress code for the event, plus the slightly unusual setting, represented Talisker’s idea of making the Burns Night experience, including the whisky drinking, less formal, and more accessible to younger people. Aside from the formal partnership formed by the RNLI and Talisker in 2008, both are connected by their sea roots, the RNLI in a more obvious way through saving lives at sea, and Talisker with its distillery on the shores of the Isle of Skye. Talisker whisky is the only single malt that is distilled on the island.

The RNLI receives no government funding, so relies on donations and charity fundraisers like the Burns Night event so it can continue to provide its rescue service. The charity is completely staffed by volunteers, who are part of a service that covers 19,000 miles of coastline in the UK and Republic of Ireland. As David Martin, the guest speaker from the RNLI said to end his speech during the evening:

Should you ever be in distress at sea, make sure you call for us. We’ll come and get you, and we won’t charge a penny.

Talisker brand ambassador Duncan McRae was enthusiastic and engaging during the whisky tasting part of the night, during which we got the opportunity to try two Talisker whiskies, Talisker 10 Year Old and Talisker Distiller’s Edition. We were asked to nose the whisky first to stimulate our olfactory glands, and then create our tasting notes. I definitely smelt the freshness of sea air on the 10 year old, unsurprising considering where the whisky is produced. As a recent convert to whisky drinking, I very much enjoyed adding Talisker to my tasting list. I was also pleased to see a whisky and ginger beer concoction on offer at the start of the night, a combination that could never fail, seeing as ginger beer is unarguably awesome.

The Piping in of the Haggis, and the Ode to the Haggis, which was performed brilliantly and dramatically by the host of the night, Jason Keating, were followed by the essential Burns Night element of the supper bowl filled with haggis, neeps and tatties (haggis, turnip and potatoes, if translation is needed). The lucky silent auction and raffle winners were then announced (and I mean lucky, some of the prizes donated to raise money for the RNLI were absolutely amazing!).

There was only a sprinkling of tartan amongst the guests, and the casual and less traditional approach to the evening surprised me at first, but the idea behind the evening was a strong one. Any event that aims to make Robert Burns and the celebration surrounding his life and work more accessible can only be seen as positive. Throw in a fiery, peaty dram, good food and a good cause (both in the charity and literary sense), and you’ve got a braw nicht indeed.

Photography: Mike Saechang, Progression UK and Jay_Dee_Staffordshire