News: Famous Grouse gets famous artist to draw Robert Burns for 250th anniversary

The Famous Grouse, the blended Scotch whisky brand owned by the Edrington Group, is marking the 250th anniversary of the birth of Robert Burns with a special limited edition of 250 bottles of 37 year old blended malt.

The bottles feature an original drawing of the poet by Scottish artist and playwright John Byrne on the front and a new Famous Toast, selected from entries to an international competition, on the back.

The limited edition is part of The World Famous Burns Supper Celebration, which The Famous Grouse is organising in partnership with Homecoming Scotland 2009, a year-long Scottish Government initiative celebrating Scottish culture and heritage.

The bottles, which are valued upwards of £400, will be auctioned off at Burns Suppers all over the world, helping to raise a minimum of £10,000 for charity.

John Byrne has created album covers for The Beatles, Gerry Rafferty and Bill Connolly and is also the award-winning author of plays including Tutti Frutti and The Slab Boys. The Famous Toast on the back label was written by Mary MacIntyre, from East Kilbride, Scotland, who won the competition to write some words commemorating the Bard and his favourite tipple, whisky. It will be read out by Scotland’s First Minister at the Homecoming Scotland 2009 Official Burns Supper in Alloway on 24th January, 2009.

The World Famous Burns Supper Celebration is aimed at encouraging people to hold Burns Suppers around the world and establishing a new World Record for the greatest number of Burns Suppers held on one night.

A website – www.burnssupper2009.com – has been created where people can register details of their plans, and so far over 1,500 have been uploaded.