Cocktails Islay Bloom

The Angel's Share is the portion of spirits that evaporates during barrel maturation. It is also the name of a bar in Wyndham Street which celebrates premium rums and brandies, but especially whiskies.

The Angel's Share has a new cocktail list, created by bar manager Bryan Chan and owner Charlene Dawes, and one of the new additions is called The Islay Bloom.

The Scottish island of Islay is famous for smoky, heavily peated whiskies which smell of salty sea air - or of hospitals and disinfectant to the more prosaic among us.

They are love 'em or loathe 'em spirits - when first tried. People who come to love Scotch single malts in their variety may start with gentle lowland malts such as Glenkinchie or Auchentoshan, or a Speyside such as The Macallan or The Glenlivet, but sooner or later are drawn to the powerful Islay malts such as Ardbeg, Bowmore and Laphroaig.

One of the most assertively peated is Laphroaig, but although a hint of it is in Chan's Islay Bloom, the idea was to offer a gentle introduction rather than the full salt, smoke and seaweed experience.

The core spirit is a blend - Famous Grouse rather than the peaty Islay-based Black Grouse, which Chan and Dawes decided would overbalance the cocktail.

There is also house-made chrysanthemum honey syrup, which is one part honey to three parts water; lemon juice and peel; and a hint of Laphroaig 10 Year Old, sprayed through a flame - a cigarette lighter will do - into the drink.

According to Chan exposure to flame softens the smoky phenols.

Recipe

40ml Famous Grouse whisky

20ml house-made chrysanthemum honey syrup

15ml lemon juice

10ml Laphroaig 10 Year Old single malt whisky

Thin slice of lemon peel

Pour the Famous Grouse, lemon juice and chrysanthemum honey syrup into a mixing glass and stir.

Pour into a chilled tumbler over a single large block of ice.

Cut a thin slice of lemon peel, being careful to avoid the bitter pith.

Squeeze the lemon into the drink, rub the peel around the rim of the glass, and place it on top of the ice.

Spritz the Laphroaig through a flame. Serve.