Now, I am not one to measure ingredients much. Sorry to the scientists out there - go on, free yourselves and make it your own...

Sprinkle a good clump of dark brown sugar into a stout, heavy tumbler, then add one or two fresh wedges of lime and sloe gin (rather, damson plum gin, which eludes the ingredient list at the moment) to taste, and muddle. Add ice cubes as you like, or not, and add a dash of ginger wine - don't overdo it, it can be rather lively on the tongue, especially the reserve edition! Give it a good splash of cloudy apple juice (cider?) and top up with ginger beer (which, in England, is not alcoholic, so why it is in the 'booze' list baffles me - would anyone care to clarify this?). I personally am partial to the type of ginger beer that is widely available here, the spicy, cloudy, carbonated sort. Then, depending on how bold you may be, garnish with a cinnamon stick and sip on a cold night as is, preferably indoors, by a blazing fire on a deerskin rug. Now, if you aren't so bold, then concede that the ginger is too fierce and pour the lot into a tall glass and top up with soda water until it is tamed, and then cower in a corner until you are sufficiantly toasted by the now subtle spice.

Enjoy, darlings.