Recipe

• 6 parts brandy

• 1 part vodka

• 1 part mint syrup

Shake together with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Make the mint syrup in advance by mixing equal weights sugar and boiling water until dissolved, then adding lots of fresh mint to infuse for 24 hours, and straining.

Better than my first attempt, a difference which I think just came down to the amount of syrup. This was much less sickly and more bracing. That said, my mint syrup really isn't minty enough – maybe I should've soaked it for a few days, or boiled it in a pan with the mint. More experiments necessary.