Cocktail of the week: The Nutcracker Baileys is another alcohol that always seems to do the rounds at festive gatherings, and many Christmas-themed cocktails use it as a key component. Neat, I find it a little sickly, but the liqueur is an easy shortcut to the rich and punchy creaminess of those endlessly-popular dessert-like drinks. At The Blind Pig, a speak-easy style Soho drinking den (yes, I know, another one) run by chef Jason Atherton, the latest addition to the menu is The Nutcracker - named for Baileys's current ballet-themed Christmas advert. Nutty and smooth, it mixes walnut-infused Irish whisky with Baileys, nut milk, and - optionally - a splash of date syrup and chocolate bitters. Bar manager Gareth Evans infuses the whisky with nuts himself, and you could easily do the same (it only needs to steep overnight) - but if not, a hazelnut liqueur like Frangelico, or even ordinary whisky at a push, would still make for a delicious tipple. 25ml walnut-infused Irish whisky (The Blind Pig uses Bushmills). Or use hazelnut liquer. 40ml Baileys Original Irish Cream 60ml Hazelnut and/or almond milk (or any other milk you prefer) 2 dash Chocolate bitters (optional. Try Fee Brothers, available on Amazon) 12.5ml Date syrup (optional. You can buy it online, or make it yourself - see recipe below) Shake all the ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice and strain into an elegant, long-stemmed glass. Garnish with a marshmallow. To create the walnut whisky 500ml whiskey Add ingredients to a plastic or metal bowl, cover with cling film and leave overnight. Strain out walnuts through a cloth and bottle. To create the date syrup 400g sugar 200ml water 100g stoned dates Squeeze of fresh orange Heat gently over a low heat until sugar is dissolved. Use a spoon to gently crush dates then allow to cool. Strain out dates and bottle.