This is a fragrant summer cocktail made from in-season lychees, French and Spanish fruit liqueurs and a Scottish gin.

Lychees always catch my eye, glistening with their odd spiky coats and varying shades of red and yellow and I find them irresistible. They have a long history, having been cultivated in southern China for over 2,000 years and were a prized fruit of emperors and royalty, reflecting their perceived value and their deliciousness. They are referred to as the ‘fruit of love’. Their aroma is distinctly floral due to a compound called linalool which is also found in lavender and basil. Whilst beautiful on the outside, the seed is toxic if ingested so should always be removed.

Caorunn (pronounced ka-roon) is a gin handcrafted in small batches at Balemnach Distillery in the Scottish Highlands and is made in the London dry style. In addition to six traditional botanicals, juniper berries, coriander seeds, orange and lemon peel, angelica root and cassia bark, it is infused with locally foraged botanicals, rowan berry, bog myrtle, heather, dandelion leaf and coul blush apple grown in Ross-shire. Distilled in a copper berry chamber originally intended for perfume production in the 1920s - the only one of its kind used in gin-making.

Caorunn is super smooth but full-bodied with a hint of spice and awakens the delicate flavours of lychee and adds depth to the berry and lychee liqueurs. Serve from a teapot into a martini glass and top with a fresh lychee. #CA2025