I like gin and, of course, I like food. As a matter of fact I enjoy the two together.

This enthusiasm began on some long-ago summer Saturday when the pre-lunch Beefeater and tonic segued into the smoked trout and marinated anchovies — with very happy results. Now we quite often drink gin throughout lunch.

Until last week, though, I had never found the opportunity to sample gin with dinner in a restaurant. My chance came at The Feathers Hotel, in Woodstock, which boasts a splendid gin bar and where chef Marc Hardiman has taken advantage of it by devising a five-course tasting menu — a national first, I think — called The Gin Experience, costing £75 all-in. Invited to sample it by manager Luc Morel, I was there like a shot.

Since we had travelled to Woodstock by bus, I was permitted to sample more alcohol than usual. This began even before the dinner when I tried what is styled the Ultimate Martini. This was, indeed, a corker, made from Martin Miller’s Westbourne Strength Gin (45.2 per cent) and an American vermouth called Vya Extra Dry. Served stunningly cold, with two olives, this was the perfect prelude to the feast. Rosemarie had the Ultimate Gin and Tonic, made from Blackwood’s 60 per cent gin and Q tonic, which is made from hand-picked quinine and costs a whopping £10.75.

Olives, chicken liver paté, smoked pickled quails’ eggs and a small cup of mushroom soup with truffle oil and thyme were offered before we moved on to dinner proper.

The first dish was little rounds of marinated mackerel with warm tomato jelly and chutney and a saffron-flavoured rouille. The gin accompaniment was a bloody mary-style concoction built on Saffron Gin Gabriel Boudier, a golden-coloured delight from France. A fine match.

Next was quail served in two ways — the breast unadorned, the boned leg cooked long and slow with a filling of black pudding. There was also a crispy ball and, beside it, caramelised apple featuring William Chase gin which was flamed at the table.

Crab was third — and definitely one of the highlights of the meal. Some was served cold with mayonnaise, while the soft-shell crab was offered hot in tempura style. The attractive looking dish also featured home-cured salmon, cucumber sorbet and a gin and tonic jelly made from the Scottish gin Hendrick’s (which, of course, should always be served with a slice of cucumber rather than lemon or lime).

Spanish Gin Mare — one of my favourites at home at the moment — was the perfect accompaniment (served with olives, a sprig of rosemary and 1724 tonic) to the main course of loin of lamb. The delicious pink meat was teamed with charred courgette, tarragon polenta, red pepper and garlic and anchovy purée. This proved to be the star of the night and I was interested to find, chatting to chef Marc in the gin bar later, that it’s his favourite, too.

The final dish was a bomb Alaska, made with excellent lemon curd, and a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The glass of Hayman’s 1820 gin liqueur, served chilled and neat, proved too much for the two ladies sampling the Gin Experience on the table next to us. But we took it in our (slightly unsteady) stride.