I’ve not blogged in over a year, with various different things going on in my life and work.

Nonetheless, I realised that there was an absence of unstructured creativity in my life. I’ve not been as sociable as I used to be. I haven’t been getting out much.

So I think it’s time I went back to what I enjoy most: martinis and writing.

In the age of AI-slop and algorithmic regurgitations of old content, I’m doing my bit to create more authentic, original and human content, in a way that I find fun and fulfilling.

Thus here are some recent martinis I’ve enjoyed, in no particular order, and certainly without any AI curation or organisation.

I hope you enjoy reading the words and seeing the images.

Here we go!

I’m going to start with this beautiful Classic Martini with an olive, served in the gorgeous American Bar in Helsinki’s iconic Torni Hotel.

If you head up to the rooftop you can enjoy more drinks with a spectacular view (weather permitting) over Finland’s capital at Ateljee Bar.

Back at home, this is a Spicy Bethan Jane Martini with pickled beetroot and a splash of Tabasco sauce for a kick.

Then here we have a recent martini in a certain dark bar in Edinburgh…

And this is a martini in the painfully wonderful and always reliable Original Ivy in London’s West End.

Returning to the Isle of Mull, this was a very pleasant Classic Martini garnished with Kalamata olives from 2025.

I was able to enjoy it in the garden in April, albeit with a few woollen layers to stay warm.

At least the drink didn’t thaw out.

Here is another martini with Kalamata olives and a dash of oil, with a beautiful steel pick atopped with an octopus before dinner at my neighbour’s flat in London.

And I’ll end in my own flat, with a martini graced with a splash of Dorrigo Pepper vodka.

Accompanying it on the side I’ve got a taramasalata mixture with red onion, ready to spread on the delightful gift of tossi tumma leipä, a dark bread my brother-in-law brought me from Oulu in Finland.

It feels good to be back!