Be it for Gran to have a tipple of, to spike a dessert (pour it over ice cream and watch it sing!) or just to luxuriate with in front of a fire, Rutherglen Muscat is a wonderful thing. Think lush, dense, liquefied Xmas pudding in style. Magic.

If you rummage through any collection of spirits, you’re bound to find triple sec gathering dust. Usually it’s the cheaper end, too. Vok is a bargain in the triple sec stakes, delivering just the right orangey tang to spike a Margarita Cosmopolitan (remember those?!) or Mai Tai.

Cynar is a bitter Italian liqueur made from 13 botanicals; the dominant base is artichoke. Don’t baulk at that, it’s one of the most delicious digestifs going. Some serve it with a wedge of orange over soda, but I like it chilled, neat, and downed as a single shot.

Brandy has a pretty daggy vibe and, indeed, a bit of a rep for being Nan’s choice of drink. Bottles languish in drinks cabinets, but with class examples like this, bust out the triple sec and lemon juice, and whip up a classy Sidecar.

Vedrenne makes some of the best spirits around, and this is a profoundly good example. Incomparable for its mainlining of blackcurrant aromas and flavours, cassis is brilliant in Kir Royale cocktails where you add a splash to Champagne or sparkling wine. Delicious!

Grappa is the bane of my cabinet. It turns up in the back, in an oddly shaped bottle, and seems to multiply. Fear not: a wise Italian friend reminded me that caffè corretto, an espresso with a belt of grappa in it, is how he starts his day. It’s also great after a long dinner.