I’ve felt like a cast member in Mad Men (recently returned for a fourth television season): over the last two days I have both organised my liquor collection and photographed it using a small commercial studio setup. The photography serves several purposes: records for insurance purposes; a means of avoiding duplicate purchases, and a cellaring list for pairings with food.

Alcohol and I have a rather odd and distant relationship: after 32, I decided to curtail drinking, or at least to do so very rarely: once a year is an event. I have no objection in principle to a glass of wine over dinner, but as I entertain with even greater scarcity, and follow H L Mencken's rule of never drinking alone, the opportunity to do so rarely arises.

However, the idea of having a well-stocked bar and cellar collection remained very appealing. So, two years ago, I began to buy a few bottles every month. What you see to the left is a poster of the liquor side of my collection thus far; the wine cellar is slightly smaller, as I am no oenophile, and am still making my way through wines.

The bar is strong on single-malt scotches, as, from memory, those are what I enjoyed most; bourbons, rums and whiskeys are also well-represented. As to the purpose of all this, I'm not precisely sure. It would make for one hell of a party, or an excellent resource come the zombie invasion.