I have long held it an unassailable truth that the greatest drink in the world is the Bloody Mary. I have strong views on how it should be made (chiefly: no horseradish, no stick of celery).

But after reading The MEATLiquor Chronicles, that has all changed. I discovered the unholy / holy marriage that occurs when you swap the vodka for gin and add a dash of absinthe. This drink is just indescribably, insanely great. It’s as different from a Bloody Mary as Dr Pepper is from vintage champagne.

They are quite firm in the MEATLiquor book on not over-spicing. Now I agree, but I think even their recipe is a bit over-generous on the Tabasco. So here’s my take. Serves 1 (rather than the 8 given in the book. Though I could probably drink 8).

• 12 cm high glass
• ice
• 5 ml absinthe (or more – I think more)
• tomato juice (unspiced)
• 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 scant tsp Tabasco sauce (or less)
• 1 tsp dill pickle juice
• 1 tbsp orange juice
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• shake of celery salt
• shake of cayenne pepper
• squeeze of lime juice
• shake of smoked paprika
• half a teaspoon icing sugar
• freshly-ground black pepper
• GIN!

Fill your glass with ice cubes. Pour in and swill round the absinthe. Three-quarter fill the glass with tomato juice. Add all the other ingredients and stir/shake vigorously. DRINK.