BURNS NIGHT 2026
HOW DRINKS BRANDS ARE ELEVATING TRADITION THROUGH CREATIVE STRATEGY
Burns Night is one of the first major cultural moments of the year – a time when people reconnect with Scottish heritage and when brands have a real opportunity to show up in a way that feels both rooted and relevant. For drinks brands, especially those working with a drinks marketing agency, it becomes a moment to demonstrate what creative strategy, cultural understanding, and great storytelling can do.
This year showcased the many ways a heritage occasion can be reimagined, from elevated, premium executions to bold, unexpected partnerships. Below is a look at how Burns Night 2026 played out, and what it tells us about where the drinks category is heading.
CLASSIC ELEGANCE: THE POLISHED, PREMIUM APPROACH
The Macallan x The Dome, Edinburgh
A strong example of a drinks brand staying completely on brand. The Macallan and The Dome created an exclusive, high end, red‑carpet Burns experience that delivered on luxury without feeling over‑engineered. It’s a reminder that when heritage and craft are genuine brand assets, leaning into them can still feel modern - especially when the environment reinforces that quality story. Read more about reimagining the future of luxury here.
Singleton @ The Cadogan Arms
Singleton went for approachable sophistication: warm, inviting, but still intentional. The food was built to complement the whisky’s character, and the guided tastings helped anchor everything in storytelling. It’s a great way to make a heritage moment feel inclusive without diluting the brand. A move many drinks creative agencies encourage when building broader audience appeal.
Berry Bros. & Rudd @ Prestonfield
A fully immersive and traditional take, that shows the power of setting. Prestonfield’s theatrics, combined with pipers, poetry and rare pairings, created a sense of occasion that reinforces the brand’s depth and history. With a touch of philanthropy, the event also supported Prostate Scotland. It’s a strong example of how the right physical environment can elevate brand perception, while seamlessly integrating a moment of doing good.
PUSHING THE BOUNDARIES FOR BURNS
Fable Whisky x Lost Shore Surf Resort
Fable shifted the traditional approach by pairing whisky with surf culture, storytelling, art and cuisine. It proves that “place” can unlock new narratives and give an established category a fresh energy, whether that is in the whisky cured fish or the ocean like energy of the Whisky’s origins. This unexpected combination is exactly how brands can inject cultural momentum into moments that otherwise risk becoming conventional.
Nikka Whisky x Sticks ‘n’ Sushi
Nikka paired Japanese craft with Scandinavian design and Scottish tradition; it showed a clear understanding of how global brands can stay culturally anchored while meeting local moments with relevance. What makes this stand out is the intent behind it: not using Burns Night as a surface‑level nod to Scottish culture but integrating Nikka’s own identity into the occasion in a way that feels contemporary and aligned with how consumers engage with world whisky today. It’s a lesson in how global drinks brands can honour heritage while adapting to culturally rich local moments.
Modern Reinterpretations: Food, Flavour, and Fun
Ardfern x Woven
Ardfern and Woven Whisky, both rooted in Leith, reframed Burns Night through formats and flavours that match how modern consumers are engaging with whisky: whisky doughnuts, highballs, playful plates. It’s not about being “edgy”; it’s about keeping heritage occasions alive by speaking the language of contemporary food culture, showing how brands can stay connected to tradition while meeting audiences where their tastes already are.
Ria’s Ice Cream x Big Kid Ice Cream
This collaboration is a great demonstration of how brands can enter cultural moments by shifting the rules rather than replicating them, much like we explore here. Neeps‑and‑tatties ice cream, haggis pizza… not traditional but a deep fried mars bar is! Intentionally provocative in a way that sparks conversation and drives cultural relevance. These kinds of partnerships prove that Burns Night doesn’t have to sit in a nostalgic or traditional lane; it can be given fresh relevance when brands open up the moment to audiences who might otherwise sit it out. A smart approach for any modern drinks brand.
Auld Hag x Irn‑Bru
Auld Hag’s approach shows what happens when brands are genuinely rooted in culture rather than just referencing it. Their approach took Scottish comfort food (haggis balls with Irn-Bru hot sauce) partnering with another heritage brand - Irn‑Bru – that just made sense, characterful and deliberately Scottish. All wrapped up with a ceilidh of over 300 people, what a workout! A brilliant reminder that culturally fluent drinks brand activations create deeper emotional connection.
What Burns Night 2026 Says About the Drinks Industry
Burns Night continues to be a major opportunity for drinks brands to connect flavour, heritage and community but what stood out this year was the shift in how brands are choosing to show up.
Key takeaways:
Tradition still resonates, but reinterpretation is what’s engaging new audiences, read more here on how reimagining tradition helps drinks brands win the next generation.
Brands treating Burns Night as an experience, not just an occasion, are winning.
Strategic collaboration is now a major differentiator, especially for brands looking to find relevance in cultural occasions.
Context in regards to location, partners and environment is just as important as the product itself.
It’s clear that Burns Night has evolved into a space where heritage and modernity can coexist in a way that feels culturally relevant rather than solely nostalgic. Whisky, haggis and ceilidhs aren’t going anywhere, but the way brands approach the likes of Burns night them keeps evolving. And that evolution is exactly where the standout work happens.
LET’S MAKE IT HAPPEN
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If you’re looking to create an activation that stands out, we’d love to talk.