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Fire and alcohol have a long and illustrious history together. Native Americans often referred to spirits as firewater because of their potency. Old-school Italian restaurants serve Sambuca liqueur aflame in order to heighten its flavour.

Now, a new cadre of spirit lovers are rediscovering the flavour-enhancing properties (not to mention display appeal) that fire can bring to cocktails. Merlin Griffiths, a London-based master mixologist and global brand ambassador for Bombay Sapphire, is one of them.

Not long ago, I had the opportunity to observe Griffiths, who makes no excuses for the precision of his cocktail making and religious use of the freshest seasonal ingredients, in action. The concoction he created was a Sapphire Collins, which he garnished with flamed orange zest.

To create the Collins, Griffiths combined an ounce of fresh lemon juice, ¾ of an ounce of sugar water (a mixture of 1 part boiling water and 2 parts sugar) and 1.5 ounces of Bombay Sapphire gin in a highball glass. Then came the fiery bit. After slicing a thick piece of rind off an orange, he dangled it above the glass between his thumb and his forefinger and flicked his lighter on.

First he passed the flame over the outside of the rind (to warm the skin and bring the oils to the surface) and then he began squeezing the rind between his thumb and finger when – bang! – a flame burst forth from the orange. As Griffiths dropped the rind into the Collins, I thought: I have to learn how to do that. I also noted what a neat party trick it could make this holiday season as your guests sit around your bar, nibbling on chunks of cheese and waiting for the mix master – you – to serve up festive, citrusy cocktails.

As Griffiths watched, I followed his directions to a T and did succeed, after a few tries, in recreating the flaming orange garnish.

In the end, it wasn't very hard to master at all.

On a recent trip to London, I was able to sample a number of Griffiths's exotically accented cocktails (part of the job, you know) in each of the restaurants and lounges he was good enough to refer me to.

When I got home, I went on try out the flaming zest in several other drinks besides a Tom Collins, including a Cosmopolitan (shown at right and on the cover) and a martini.

The garnish gives new meaning to the notion of firewater.

Sebastien Centner is the director of Eatertainment Special Events in Toronto (www.eatertainment.com).