The Tippler: Toussaint

Toussaint is a coffee liqueur originating in Haiti and named after the black slave hero, Toussaint L'Ouverture. If you find Tia Maria or Kahlua too sweet for your taste, but you're after an after-dinner coffee liqueur, Toussaint (about £14.95, Waitrose, Harrods, Selfridges) is the espresso of the genre. Drink it neat with ice as a wind-down cocktail or add lime or rum for cocktails. The Napoléon Noir, a blend of one-third cognac or brandy to two-thirds Toussaint, is a sado-masochistic blend which both comforts and bites back. Alternatively, revive flagging dinner-party conversation by adding a shot of Toussaint to your coffee, or drizzle a tablespoonful of double cream on top of Toussaint for the ultimate in decadent, warming Irish coffee.