This variant of the champagne cocktail is a great way to use up any left over Christmas Day port, and Mince Pie Brandy.

‘Leftover port?’ What’s that? Well quite...

Anyway, this drink is a combination of the Champagne Cocktail and Buck's Fizz, to some extent, so it must be Hogmanay-appropriate, right?

That's right, Hogmanay, because New Year celebrations in the UK really owe a lot to the Scottish traditions of the winter festival which had always, until relatively recently, been celebrated more than Christmas (which was actually banned in Scotland in the 16th and 17th Century - far too Catholic you see!).

In any event, it is undeniable that the Scots celebrate the turning of the year better than anyone else - and that's why all around the world as the clock ticks over to midnight, millions will link hands (too early) and mumble a few lines of a poem from an Ayrshire ploughman that they can barely remember, even less understand.

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
and auld lang syne?