Legend has it that it was Mary Queen of Scots who invented this classic shortbread shape, inspired by the stitched sections of material that made up her royal petticoats. Others maintain that shortbread petticoat tails derive their name from petits côtés, a French pointed biscuit, eaten with a glass of wine. We suggest that these two parties settle their differences by tasting some of this fine shortbread.

Handmade in Edinburgh by a small, family-run bakery, which uses high-quality ingredients and Fortnum’s own recipe, this is an exceptional biscuit that deserves its own place in history.