It’s January 25. People the world over will celebrate the birthday of Scottish poet Robert Burns by cooking traditional dishes like Haggis, scones and home made whisky jam (well, oatcakes are preferred), or hosting a Burns Supper.

Last January I posted an entire series in honour of this nearly sacred event, highlighting where you can buy haggis and how to cook it, as well as 10 bold beers that pair well with Scottish fare. But one thing I neglected to call special attention to was scotch.

I don’t know why I missed this opportunity. In the words of anchorman Ron Burgundy, “I love Scotch. Scotchy, scotch, scotch. Here it goes, down into my belly.”

I’m rectifying that omission today by attending a Glenfiddich event called Cask of Dreams.

The Speyside distiller is rolling out 20 special casks across Canada. Canadians are being invited to complete the phrase “One Day I Will…” by signing the barrel which will return to Dufftown, Scotland to age a special batch of single malt.

Under the watchful eye of Malt Master, Brian Kinsman these Casks of Dreams made from American oak will spend three months imparting a uniquely rich, intense flavour to their single malt, creating a rare and personally significant bottling. Once matured, the special blend will be packaged in limited edition bottles and returned for sale in select Canadian cities.

Glenfiddich, not surprisingly, chose Robert Burns Day as the launch date. And while we might expect the starting point to be Halifax for proximity and cultural significance, or Toronto because it’s the centre of the universe, they selected Winnipeg as the launch point to roll out these special barrels.

“The rich, Scottish heritage, the celebration of Robbie Burns Day and the milestone of the Selkirk Settlement made Manitoba the perfect fit to launch the Cask of Dreams” says Beth-Anne Perry, Glenfiddich Brand Manager. “The dreams of Scottish pioneers helped shape Manitoba and we can’t wait to bring the dreams of today back to Dufftown.”

The limited edition scotch should return to Winnipeg for sale sometime in August 2012.