Sam Heughan: Bee's Knees

Go tell the bees to spare me some honey and rustle up one of these delicious wee cocktails! Go Tell The Bees That I Am Gone, the ninth of Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander books, gets its title from a very old Celtic custom, that later crossed to America, of informing the bees of any news you have – births, marriages, deaths and other goings-on in the community. If you don’t, the bees were said to take offence and buzz off.

In the final seasons of Outlander, Claire is an avid beekeeper and keeps hives on Fraser’s Ridge. I played it that Jamie was always respectful and slightly wary of the bees – perhaps he’d been stung one too many times. I’m sure he’d have loved this drink, especially if it was made with Scottish heather honey. It’s so refreshing and gives you a real buzz, you could say (couldn’t help it).

Extracted from The Cocktail Diaries, Sam Heughan (Quadrille, £20) Photography ©Matt Russell. Buy Now 

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