There is only one way to complete a great meal, to aid the digestion and to turn an ordinary evening into a luminous memory, and that's by enjoying the luxury of an after-dinner drink.
The choice is huge. There are the classics, of course: great brandies like armagnac and cognac, or the heathery, peaty flavours of whisky. Monkish drinks based on herbal and fruit extracts such as ancient liqueurs and bitters expand the choice; while by-products of the wine-making process, like marc and grappa, have their own devoted followers. Fortified wines, too, provide an ever-changing spectrum of after-dinner drinking: vintage port for those who love something both sweet and sturdy, or scented madeira for those whose soft spot is for the fumes of age. Rum, tequila and calvados can't be omitted from the cupboard, and nor can those modern delights based on the irresistible fusion of alcohol and cream, either. After-dinner drinking has never been as deliciously diverse as it is today.
In this book, award-winning author and broadcaster Andrew Jefford guides you gently through this comforting, soothing world, explaining exactly what each drink is, pinpointing its key scents and flavours, and helping you go straight to the best of the best.
With this book at hand, no meal ever need stop at the coffee.
