Winter is almost here, so we thought we’d get a head start and take on one of our favorite cold-time drinks; The hot toddy cocktail.
A hot toddy is the perfect drink to keep you warm and toasty this winter. Hot toddies are perfect for enjoying in the evening or as a nightcap. And, making them is a piece of cake. Hot water, Whiskey (or Brandy), honey, and lemon are all you need for this classic cocktail. So let’s dive right into the Hot Toddy cocktail.
What is a Hot Toddy?
A Hot toddy is a tea-like cocktail made with Whiskey or Brandy, water, honey, herbs, spices, and other ingredients like lemon and apple, all of which are heated to a piping hot temperature. The hot toddy is usually served in winter to warm up on cold nights, to smooth cold and flu-like symptoms, or as a warm tea to put you to bed.
As Victoria Moore writes in How to Drink, “the vitamin C for health, the honey to soothe, the alcohol to numb.” I couldn’t have said it better myself.
History of the Hot Toddy cocktail?
The earliest use of this word to signify an alcoholic drink was back in 1786. The term “Toddy” comes from a traditional Indian drink called a toddy. An Indian toddy is made by fermenting palm tree sap.
Its widely believed that this drink was first used as a medicine because lemon and honey tend to soothe sore throats. While its effectiveness is questionable, all you have to do is take one sip of this warming, soothing cocktail, and you’ll understand why it’s been around for so long.
What Glass is Hot Toddy Served In?
The Hot Toddy is typically served in an Irish mug or a transparent tea mug. If you don’t own the right glassware for this cocktail, consider some of the options below.
What are the best spirits and Ingredients for a Hot Toddy?
You can use Whiskey or brandy. However, we recommend brandy because the fruity notes of Brandy stand out. The heat makes its smell particularly delicious. We recommend going for a standard brandy such as Hennessy or Remy Martin Whiskey for this one. Jamison and Tullamore D.E.W. Original are good choices.
If you are going to infuse your Hot Toddy with fruits, always use fresh apples and lemons. Luckily, honey doesn’t go bad, so the honey doesn’t need to be super fresh.
Variations of Hot Toddy cocktail
Want to try some variations on this cocktail? Here are some common remixes on this classic.
1. Cold Toddy
A cold toddy is similar to iced tea. It consists of rye Whiskey, orange, cinnamon, ginger, lemon, earl grey tea, cloves, honey, and orange bitters are the main ingredients in a cold toddy. It’s served over ice, and the ice is crushed to make it even colder.
2. Apple Toddy
The apple toddy is a little more like apple tea. Apples are peeled and roasted until they are almost falling apart, then half of the fruit is smashed with sugar and apple brandy, and finally, hot water is added before stirring until the apple dissolves completely.
How to Make a Hot Toddy
Below are the ingredients and directions for a Hot Toddy. We hope you love this drink as much as we do.
Hot Toddy
Cuisine: Classic CocktailDifficulty: Easy ????1
servings300
kcal2
minutesA hot toddy is the perfect drink to keep you warm and toasty this winter. And, making them is a piece of cake. Hot water, Whiskey (or Brandy), honey, and lemon are all you need for this classic cocktail. So let’s dive right into the Hot Toddy cocktail.
Ingredients
.50 Ounces Brandy or Rum or Scotch
1 Teaspoon Honey
.50 Ounces Lemon Juice
4 Ounces Boiling Water or Tea
Directions
- Fill a mug with boiling water and let stand for a minute or two to warm.
- Combine the first three ingredients in a mug and fill it with boiling water.
Recipe Video
Conclusion
So, what do you think of the Hot Toddy cocktail? Is this your go-to on a cold winter night? Do you love it? Hate it? What would you rate it? Let us know in the comments below.
If you want to see more awesome mixology content, check out our full blog here, and subscribe to our newsletter to get great recipes just like this one, straight to your inbox. Until next time, stay safe, get hammered.
