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Traditional Scottish Highland Games

Being a family-run business based in Scotland's historic capital, we value Scottish traditions. We like to showcase our Scottish origin, from using our original recipe passed through the generations to the design of our boxes and tins.

Our all-butter shortbread sporting range is a great example, as it illustrates traditional Scottish sports: golf, rugby, weight over the bar, shinty and of course, the Highland Games. Summer is the peak season for Traditional Scottish Highland Games, so this is a great occasion to learn more about it!

Shortbread House of Edinburgh - Traditional and luxury Scottish gift

The Highland Games are a unique mix of sporting, cultural and social activities. Traditionally, they comprise of exhibitions and entertainments with competitions in piping and Highland dancing, as well as emblematic sports, such as the caber toss, hammer throw, and tug o' war. Our sporting range focuses on two Highland Games, tossing the caber and weight over the bar.

Tossing the caber

As Scottish sports go, this is one of the toughest. Competitors cradle the 6 metres, 80-kilo wooden pole in their enormous hands, run forward and toss it so that it flips over. Truly a test of agility, balance, and strength.

As the illustration demonstrates, this sport was initially played with our giant shortbread fingers, but competitors kept eating the cabers before the event even started.

Weight over the bar

It takes a unique combination of skill and strength to throw 56lbs of solid iron 15 feet up into the air. So, unsurprisingly it was the Weight Over the Bar competition the Clans chose as the perfect way to find their champions.

At today's Highland Games, it is still the sport of champions. The throw must go over the bar, and it must be made using only one hand.

True champions have been known to simultaneously use the other hand to sample our shortbread biscuits' perfection.