To Peacock Alley, the opulent lounge bar in Edinburgh’s Waldorf Astoria – The Caledonian.

Pickering’s Gin have just started a cocktail residency in Peacock Alley. Their brand ambassador, Paul Donegan, has devised a list of five Pickering’s based concoctions which, naturally, have been given the wonderful title of Peacocktails.

All five are available for at least the next month.

Compliment the botanicals

The 5pm Dining blog spoke to Paul about The Caley Cocktail. Made with Pickering’s Original Recipe 1947 Gin, it is muddled with apple, lemon and coriander over crushed ice before being finished with walnut bitters.

‘All cocktails should evoke a sense of place and setting,’ reckons Paul. ‘We could have done a re-tool of the classic Waldorf cocktail but thought it might make more sense to create something which echoed the Waldorf Salad. I started thinking about how I could use the flavours of apple and walnut – key components on the salad – to compliment the botanicals in the Original 1947 gin.

Fresh coriander

‘I thought I would use apple syrup and fresh coriander leaves which would go with the coriander seeds used in the gin. The leaves add a light, citrus flavour while the syrup gives sweetness. It’s a Mojito-style drink.’

To make your own Caley Cocktail, muddle 50mls of Original 1947 Pickering’s with 20ml of apple syrup (Monin make this or you could reduce down apple juice), 15ml of lime juice and seven to eight coriander leaves.

Add half a glass of crushed ice, stir and then fill glass with crushed ice. Finish with two or three drops of walnut bitter, garnish with a slice of orange grapefruit and serve with a straw.

Alternatively, the Peacocktail menu will be running all month at Peacock Alley.

Big Deals on afternoon tea

While we are in The Caley, we should mention a number of Big Deals which we have coming up soon here.

Next week, we are running a Big Deal on steak frites for two at Galvin Brasserie de Luxe and, the week after that, we will have a Big Deal on afternoon tea and Champagne afternoon tea for two in Peacock Alley.

This Saturday, look out for a fantastic Big Deal on a Chateaubriand steak for two with a bottle of wine in the hotel’s sumptuous Pompadour by Galvin restaurant.

If you have never been in the dining room, it is spectacular and has tremendous views of Edinburgh Castle and Princes Street.