Hot off the press is a tasty, counter-intuitive combo. Cognac as a spirit is a bit backwater at the moment, a bit olde worldy, but the noble drop was a tried and true favourite of mixology’s forefathers. Its heady bouquet combines deftly on the palate with a bunch of rich, diverse flavours, resulting in loads of potential for mixed drinks. Strangely, it is fantastic freshened up with a bottle of tonic water. Grab a glass (short is best) in a reasonable size – too small and your ratio of spirit-to-mixer will be out; four to one is ideal. Pop in a measure of cognac (Hennessey VS is fantastic for mixing) and loads of ice. Top it with the tonic water and a big, fresh slice of lemon. It’s a perfect spring session drink which oozes left-of-centre cool.