Woodland martini

The idea of this cocktail is for it to taste and smell like a walk in the woods. The clean, lemony pine scent and flavour of the Douglas fir vodka shines through, with smoky sage.

60ml Douglas fir vodka (see below) 15ml Charred sage syrup (see below) 15ml Wild dry vermouth

10ml freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 Pour all the ingredients into a cocktail shaker and fill it two-thirds of the way up with ice.

2 Cover and shake hard for a good 20 seconds. Strain the contents of the shaker into a Martini glass. Garnish with a young Douglas fir tip.

DOUGLAS FIR VODKA

1 Get 3 handfuls young Douglas fir needles, 2 x 5cm lengths of very thin, woody Douglas fir stems,

700 or 750ml bottle of vodka, 80 proof/40% ABV, 1-litre widemouthed, sealable jar, sterilised.

2 Place the Douglas fir needles and woody stems in a blender, adding enough vodka to cover, and blend for at least 30 seconds on a high speed. Pour the bright green mix into the jar and add the remaining vodka. Seal, upend gently a couple of times, and store in a cool, dark place.

3 Upend daily and start tasting after the second day. This infusion should take no longer than four days to work its magic—you want the lemon and pine notes of woodland, not a bathroom cleaner.

4 Strain the infusion into a widemouthed pitcher when you think you’re there, then funnel into a sterilised bottle and seal. Store in a cool, dark place and consume within six months.

CHARRED SAGE SYRUP

1 Combine 340g dark wildflower honey and 250ml water in a nonreactive pan over a medium heat and stir to help the honey dissolve.

2 Meanwhile, hold 10 large sage leaves on a stem by the end of their stalks and singe their tips with a long lighter until you see red cinders, the odd flame, and charred leaves.

3 Snip off the bitter stalks of the sage and drop the charred leaves into the pan with the honey syrup. Bring the syrup to a boil, then simmer for about 8 minutes. Turn off the heat and let cool.

4 Pour the liquid through a strainer lined with layers of cheesecloth or muslin into a wide-mouthed pitcher, then funnel into a sterilised presentation bottle and seal.

5 Store in the refrigerator and consume within three months.