The Oh-So-Soothing Hot Toddy Cocktail

Name: The Oh-So-Soothing Hot Toddy Cocktail
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Yield: 1
Ingredients: 2 Oz Wild Turkey Bourbon Whiskey; 0.25 Oz Fresh lemon juice; 2 Teaspoons brown sugar; 5 Cloves; Sliced lemon; Boiling water

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PREP TIME 5 min

Cocktail Type

Bourbon

Great for

Winter

Difficulty

Easy

JUMP TO RECIPE

A Hot Toddy cocktail is one of those things in life that truly (like truly truly) soothes. As a nightcap, it gives you that same warm and cozy vibe you get when easing into the perfect hot bubble bath after a long day – absolute bliss; the kind that makes your heart smile.

The history of Hot Toddy cocktail

The first Hot Toddy ingredients are believed to have been mixed together way back in the mid-1800s and the recipe was very basic, containing a spirit of sorts, sugar and hot water. If you were lucky and you had some, you could add spice or lemon peel.

The ‘spirits of sorts’ can either be Irish whiskey, scotch, brandy, rum or cognac. It’s a bit of a pick-and-mix cocktail that you can customize with your favorite alcohol and flavorings. There really are no rules other than that a Hot Toddy cocktail should be served as the name suggests—while it’s hot.

Best Hot Toddy recipe

The ideal drink to slowly sip on a cold evening to get that fireplace feeling, our Hot Toddy mug of goodness is best enjoyed while snuggled up on the couch on a wintery night.

QUICK TIPS

For a piping hot drink, add boiling water to your serving mug and set it aside for a few minutes before pouring it out and serving your Hot Toddy cocktail. Easy!

No lemons at home? Use fresh orange slices to garnish instead!

Using fresh apple cider is best. Once opened, keep it in the fridge for around a week. You’ll know it’s starting to turn if it becomes darker and starts smelling more like vinegar than apples.

INGREDIENTS

MAKE FOR

1 Person

2 Oz

60 Ml

2 Parts

Wild Turkey Bourbon Whiskey

0.25 Oz

7.5 Ml

0.25 Parts

Fresh lemon juice

Teaspoons brown sugar

Cloves

Sliced lemon

Boiling water

INSTRUCTIONS

Take a slice of lemon, press the cloves into the lemon round and set aside

Boil water and fill a mug to the three-quarter mark

Pour in the whiskey and lemon juice and stir in the sugar until dissolved

Add the clove-studded lemon wheel and allow to infuse

Serve in a warmed mug

Variations of the Hot Toddy cocktail

There are so many variations of the Hot Toddy—it’s a fun drink to play around with to see which flavors appeal to you most. Here are a few ideas you can try until you find the best Hot Toddy recipe to add to your easy winter cocktails list.

Replace the cloves with a cinnamon stick
Replace the lemon with orange
Use chamomile tea instead of boiling water
If you prefer the taste of rum, replace the whiskey with Appleton Estate Rum
Replace the sugar with honey
Adding a dash of apple cider vinegar will bring out the flavors in any hot toddy drink

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

It depends on your taste, but there are no hard rules to follow here. If you like bourbon, use that. Whiskey? Ditto. Prefer rum? Do it. A lot of different spirits work well in a Hot Toddy drink.

We suggest using Wild Turkey Bourbon Whiskey. This Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey has a high rye content and is 101 proof which gives it some serious flavor. It’s a big and bold whiskey, with a pleasant bite and is best enjoyed neat, on the rocks or in a cocktail.

This is not a party drink. At around 6% ABV, a Hot Toddy is meant to be sipped slowly and enjoyed while relaxing.

Yes, you can. It’s called a Hot Not Toddy and just like the cocktail, you can play around with a few flavors (teas, spices, fruits and sweeteners) to find your ideal non-alcoholic Hot Toddy.

Pour boiling water into a mug and set aside for 2 minutes, then toss the water out before adding your Hot Toddy liquids and ingredients. Pre-warming the mug will help keep your toddy hot for a few sips longer.