This is a classic martini with just a splash of whisky stirred in. The drink sounds potent, fiery, angry and dangerous but the reality is far from it. The Paisley Martini is delicate and smokey, tied together beautifully with a sliver of lemon peel.

The drink is named after the Scottish city of Paisley, once home to a roaring whisky distillery trade, so the recipe calls for Scotch whisky.

Nonetheless, I would recommend trying all manner of others, including Japanese whiskies as well as Irish and American whiskey brands as well. The possibilities are endless with this one so go ahead and experiment.

However, please don’t use the good malts. They should be drunk the traditional way, either neat or with a drop of fresh water to release the flavour. Don’t drink them after a martini either because your taste buds will have been ruined.

How to prepare a Paisley Martini

Prepare your drink as you would a classic martini, but just after you’ve added the vermouth, add a teaspoon or two of whisky before topping up the glass with gin or vodka.

As mentioned above, the drink should be garnished with lemon peel, as the flavours don’t work quite as well if it’s made with an olive. Try to use as neutral a gin as possible, or even a vodka if you’ve got an interesting whisky to try it out with.

If there is every a time of year for this martini, it’s New Year / Hogmanay. I recommend it with good company and a roaring fire to keep you warm as you see in the new year.

Slàinte Mhath!