Martini
At the excellent Parsons seafood restaurant in London, brinier oysters such as Jerseys and Colchesters are paired with a samphire-infused gin Martini with a salty splash of sherry. Do something similar at home with Isle of Harris gin, which counts foraged sugar kelp among its botanicals. Or cut creamier oysters with an ice-cold Vodkatini, made with 50ml of Nikka Coffey vodka from Japan and 5ml Vault Coastal vermouth (which has oyster shell and olive leaf in the mix). Garnish with a lemon twist.
Nikka Coffey Vodka, £48 for 700ml
Peaty Whisky
Amplify the oyster’s umami with a waft of coastal smoke. The chiselled Torabhaig Taigh from Skye – the young distillery’s first core release – is mineral and elegant. Sweeter and rounder is Ardbeg’s latest limited edition, Dolce, which is aged in Marsala casks, layering up its robust Islay peat with oranges in syrup. And a dram of Talisker’s magnificent 47-year-old Magma – the distillery’s oldest-ever release – would be pure decadence. Put a few drops in the oyster before it goes down the hatch.
