Tequila’s older, earthier cousin, mezcal is made from 30-plus varietals of the agave desert plant. The piña (heart) is roasted in subterranean fire pits before being fermented and distilled, imparting a certain smokiness to its flavour spectrum that likens it to peated Scotch. Except it’s much more nuanced than that. Depending on the type of agave used, it can taste floral, citrussy, fruity, sometimes leafy, making it a particularly wonderful sipping spirit – enjoyed neat or over ice. That said, it can also offer an interesting twist to cocktails. Try swapping the whisky in an Old Fashioned with mezcal, then switch out the sugar for a charred pineapple sugar to further accentuate its complex flavours.

The past few years have been transformative for rum. No longer reserved for cocktails, rums – especially aged expressions – are now competing in quality with brandy and single malt. Done right, they should never be cloyingly sweet. The best are nuanced and complex, demonstrating myriad tonalities, from smoky and savoury to richly spiced, depending on the barrels they were aged in. In short: you wouldn’t dream of drowning them in Coca-Cola. Instead, serve neat or with a splash of water to unlock the complex flavours.

Cognac provides the rich elegance many of us look for in an evening tipple. Smooth and suave, it seems made for luxurious evenings spent in front of a crackling fire. While distillers such as Louis XIII, Hennessy and Rémy Martin have long dominated the market – for good reason – many smaller producers are starting to appear, creating aged Cognac that can stand toe to toe with the very best. Not least Daniel Bouju’s family, which has been producing brandy since 1805, drawing on grapes from the estate in Grande Champagne. The Napoleon Grande Champagne Cognac, aged 15 years in new oak barrels, makes an especially delicious nightcap, especially sipped from a good brandy balloon glass.