Vedrenne Almond Syrup

The almond syrup that sits behind a Mai Tai, made by Vedrenne at Nuits-Saint-Georges in Burgundy. Sugar, water and natural almond flavouring, with no colouring, so it pours an opalescent white. A litre bottle, which is the size you want if the tiki drinks are a habit rather than a one-off.

Orgeat is an old style, originally a drink of barley and ground almonds, and it survives now as the almond sweetener on a bar. This one is liquid sugar, water and natural almond flavouring with a preservative, and no colour is added.

The nose is almond with a cereal edge to it. Underneath the sweetness there is a bitter almond and frangipane note. That is the part that stops it reading as plain sugar in a drink.

A measure goes into a tiki drink with rum and lime. It is also the almond half of a Mauresque beside pastis. Otherwise it will sweeten a milkshake, an iced coffee or a glass of soda water. Keep it in the fridge once the bottle is open.