Cocktail Hour: Whiskey Mac

Sometimes you need a warm hug in a glass that, for all its good intentions, all the gin in the world can't provide. That's where a Whiskey Mac comes in. It may seem odd to describe a cold drink as warming but that is exactly what this is.

Apparently it was invented by a chap called Colonel Macdonald 'during the days of the Raj' which sounds rather exotic. It's not really - just whiskey and ginger wine. The proportions of the measures are completely up to you. Usually it's one part whiskey to one part ginger wine but sometimes I want more ginger, others I want more whiskey. The fun is in finding the proportion that works for you!

You will need:

• Whiskey
• Ginger wine
• Ice

Shake it!
Pour one measure of whisky and one measure ginger wine over ice in a tumbler. Give it a stir, settle in your favourite chair and enjoy with a good book and some peace and quiet.