Winter evenings in Perthshire can get rather chilly, and this cocktail comes into its own as the days get ever shorter and the nights longer. It’s a riff on a manhattan, featuring elderberry liqueur, and is the sort of drink to enjoy as an after-dinner sipper while chatting long into the night in front of the fire.
A Naughty Night
Serves 1
35ml blended scotch
25ml elderberry liqueur – I use Aelder’s Elixir, but Gibson’s will also work, as would Lyme Bay’s elderberry and port number
25ml sweet red vermouth (for a drier finish, use a tawny or ruby port instead)
2-3 dashes orange bitters
1 strip orange peel, to finish
Pour all the liquids into a mixing glass, add a handful of ice and stir to chill and dilute for 30-40 seconds, until the mix is ice-cold. Strain into a martini or nick & nora glass, twist the orange peel over the top to release the essential oils over the surface of the drink, drop it into the glass and serve.
