2009 marks the 250thh anniversary of the birth of Robert Burns, Scotland’s national poet and great lover of whisky, with over 300 events, many of which are whisky related.

Whisky Week (6 - 12 September) starts the autumn festivities with a series of seven spectacular whisky dinners and events throughout Scotland. Starting in Edinburgh and culminating in Whisky Live Glasgow, Whisky Week brings unrivalled access to Scotland’s distilleries, ambassadors and whiskies. There is also the chance for whisky fans to meet distillers and enjoy menus of carefully matched local food and whiskies.

2009 is also the 60th anniversary of the much-loved Ealing comedy, Whisky Galore. The classic film was set and filmed in the Outer Hebrides and was based on a real life shipwreck. With bottles from the original wreck still seen in local pubs, it is appropriate that the Isle of Barra is hosting the first ever Isle of Barra Whisky Galore Festival (18 - 20 September).

A special mobile cinema will show the film throughout the festival. Festival goers can also take part in the hunt for whisky across Barra, visit the locations that feature in the film, try their hands at traditional dancing at a ceilidh, enjoy lots of live music, or take part in the golf tournament.

In further recognition of Whisky Galore, there is still the chance to enjoy Whisky Galore - A Musical! (until 17 October) at Pitlochry Festival Theatre. A tale of drams and dreams, this musical world premiere is based on Compton MacKenzie's funny, romantic and entertaining novel (later made into the film). With a score that conjures up both the 1940s and the unmistakable sounds of the Western Isles, the musical has already received rave reviews.

Speyside is Scotland’s most productive whisky region and this autumn a special Autumn Speyside Whisky Festival (25 - 28 September) takes place. A full programme of events has been organised, including a musical evening, a Craft Fayre and a Whisky Auction.

In addition, there is a range of nosing and tasting events and bus tours to distilleries not normally open to the public. For energetic whisky lovers, there is the opportunity to paddle down the River Spey in a canoe enjoying excellent food and whisky as you go; or the chance to take to the hills following smugglers’ routes of old.

In the south west of the country, one of Scotland’s literary hotspots, Wigtown celebrates whisky at its annual Stena Line Wigtown Book Festival with a special Whisky & Words (30 September - 3 October) mini festival. The programme explores the relationship between whisky and writing and most of the events will take place at Scotland’s southernmost distillery, Bladnoch Distillery.

Amongst the events lined up are Roger Hutchinson on the real Whisky Galore; Tom Morton’s ‘Drinking For Scotland’; Ian Buxton on Aeneas MacDonald (who wrote one of the greatest literary book ever written about whisky); the poetry of drink; and a whisky-themed creative writing course.

Top whisky writers, including Charles MacLean,  who pens the Scottish Field whisky pages, Dave Broom and Gavin Smith, will be hosting events. Nips and tastings will be available at most events to combine the practical whisky information with the literary themes.

More information on these events and the full Homecoming Scotland 2009 programme can be found at www.homecomingscotland2009.com