Eggovin does not need much introduction at a Nigerian party. Open a bottle and somebody in the room will immediately know what it is.

There will be a memory attached — a Christmas gathering, an uncle who always had a bottle at the back of his fridge, a New Year's Eve that went longer than planned.

What most people do not know is that Eggovin works exceptionally well as a cocktail base. Its natural richness and the egg-wine blend mean it brings depth to a drink that most mixers have to work hard to create. You are starting from an interesting place before you have even added anything.

Here are three ways to serve it — depending on the occasion, the crowd, and how adventurous you are feeling.

The Classic: Eggovin Straight, Chilled

Before the cocktails — because this matters — Eggovin served simply over ice with freshly grated nutmeg on top is still the best introduction to the drink. The cold slows the richness down. The nutmeg cuts through it. Serve it in a short glass. Do not overthink it.

One rule for all four... Always start with cold Eggovin. Warm egg-based drinks in a glass of ice dilute badly. Keep your bottle in the fridge for at least two hours before serving. Everything else follows from there.

Eggovin Martini For the sit-down dinner crowd

Shake 2 oz of Eggovin with 1.5 oz of vanilla vodka and a handful of ice — shake hard, for a full fifteen seconds, not a polite stir. You want it properly cold and slightly aerated. Strain into a chilled martini glass. Grate a little fresh nutmeg on top.

The vanilla vodka is important here. Plain vodka works but vanilla rounds out the egg note in the Eggovin and makes the whole thing taste intentional rather than improvised. It is the most elegant of the three options and the one to bring out when the tablecloth is on the table.

Spiced Eggovin For The Christmas one crowd

Pour 3 oz of Eggovin over ice in a rocks glass. Add a splash — no more than half an ounce — of spiced rum. Stir gently. Add a pinch of ground cinnamon or a drop of vanilla extract and stir once more.

This one tastes like the holiday season decided to become a drink. It is warming without being heavy and festive without being sweet. The spiced rum adds a backbone that the Eggovin alone does not have. If you are making a jug of this for a gathering, use a light hand with the rum — it intensifies as it sits.

Dirty Eggovin The Party One

Fill a tall glass with ice. Pour 2 oz of Eggovin, then top with cold cola — a good quality one, not the flat bottle that has been sitting out. Add a dash of cinnamon syrup if you have it, or just a pinch of cinnamon stirred in. Stir gently from the bottom.

This sounds like it should not work and then it does. The cola adds fizz and a slight bitterness that balances the creaminess of the Eggovin. The cinnamon ties everything together. It is the most approachable of the three — the one for guests who are not sure about Eggovin yet. Make one for them and they will be sure.