Mixology Four cocktails to warm your cockles

WHETHER it’s a classic cocktail or a new concoction, when it comes to preparing a powerful home remedy it should taste as good as it looks. Here are some creative infusions that serve the purpose well.

CANDLELIT MANHATTAN

A vintage cocktail made with rye whiskey or bourbon, sweet vermouth and bitters, a Manhattan is simple enough – but if you want to get the measure of a premix, serve Mr Lyan’s Candlelit Manhattan (£42.75, 50cl, thewhiskyexchange.com) well chilled and garnish the glass with a maraschino cherry.

THE BLOODY JASMINE

A novel pairing from Down Under, Four Pillars Bloody Shiraz Gin (£39.95, 70cl, masterofmalt.com) is crafted from gin and shiraz grapes. With an abv of 37.8% it works well in cocktails.

Half fill a cocktail shaker with ice, add 20ml Four Pillars, 20ml Campari, 20ml Dry Curacao or Cointreau, 20ml fresh lemon juice and a dash of orange bitters and shake vigorously. Strain into a chilled coupette glass and garnish with a lemon twist.

OLD DOG

Copper Dog Blended Malt Scotch Whisky (£27.95, 70cl, thewhisky exchange.com) combines eight Speyside single malts and, with its fruity profile and hints of honey and spice, it’s designed for mixing in cocktails.

For a new take on an Old Fashioned pour 50ml Copper Dog into a tumbler and add a few ice cubes. Add 5ml sugar syrup and a dash of aromatic bitters and garnish with a twist of orange rind.

DARK AND STORMY

For a rum do with minimum effort and maximum taste, try Goslings Black Seal Bermuda Black Rum (£25, 70cl, Waitrose). Fill a high ball glass with ice, add 75ml ginger beer then add 50ml Goslings Black Seal rum slowly so that it floats on top of the ginger beer. Add a squeeze of lime and garnish.