From a classic whiskey toddy to something a little more spirited, fall’s tastes and flavors are combined and infused into the best holiday libations.
Hot Toddy
Warm and toasty and just in time for winter, the Hot Toddy is a classic hot drink mixing black or green tea with the sweetness of honey and lemon. If tea’s not your thing but you still want the whiskey kick, skip all together and use hot water alone.
Ingredients:
- 1 oz brandy, whiskey, or rum
- 1 Tbsp honey
- 1/4 lemon
- 1 cup hot water
- 1 tea bag
Preparation:
- Coat the bottom of a mug or an Irish coffee glass with honey.
- Add the liquor and the juice of the lemon quarter.
- On the side, heat water in a tea kettle and add the tea bag to make hot tea.
- Pour the steaming tea into the glass and stir.
Glögg
This Nordic specialty boasts a unique combination of wine, port, and a little vodka cook to perfection with dried figs, raisins, oranges, brown sugar and a cornucopia of warming spices.
Ingredients:
- 2 (750-mL) bottles Dry red wine
- .5 (750-mL) bottle Port
- 8 oz Vodka
- .5 lb Dried figs, sliced
- .5 lb Raisins
- Peels and juice from 2 oranges
- 8 oz Light brown sugar
- 2 Star anise pods
- 4 Long peppers
- 5 Cloves
- 7 Cardamom pods
- 3 Cinnamon sticks
Preparation:
Add all the ingredients to a large saucepan over medium heat. Heat to a simmer, remove from the heat and let stand for 2 hours. Strain, and reheat. Serve in mugs, garnished with raisins and sliced blanched almonds. In a mug, garnish with raisins and blanched almonds.
Tom & Jerry
This classic drink is a perfect way to greet your guests as they walk in the door before dinner. Whip up the sweet batter (including rum, sugar, eggs and vanilla extract) and then combine it with more rum, cognac and warm milk for a classic (if calorie-laden) holiday drink that dates back nearly 200 years. Garnish with a pinch of clove, allspice and nutmeg.
Ingredients:
- Boiling water
- 1 tbsp Tom & Jerry Batter*
- 1 oz Cognac
- 1 oz Dark rum
- Whole milk, hot
Preparation:
Rinse a small coffee mug with boiling water to warm it and discard the water. Add the batter, cognac and rum to the cup and fill with hot milk. Garnish with a mixture of 2 parts freshly grated nutmeg to 1 part each ground clove and ground allspice.
Gaelic Flip
Best served after a hearty meal, this sweet concoction of vermouth, allspice liqueur and simple syrup mellow out the Irish whiskey, and an egg turns it into a sweet, frothy elixir. Sprinkle a bit of nutmeg on top for a seasoned finish.
Ingredients:
- 1.25 oz Bushmills Irish Whiskey
- 1 oz Sweet vermouth
- 1 tsp Allspice liqueur
- .33 oz Simple syrup (one part sugar, one part water)
- 1 egg
Preparation:
Add all the ingredients to a shaker and dry shake (without ice) to emulsify. Fill with ice and shake again. Strain into an Irish coffee mug or rocks glass and garnish with grated nutmeg.
Hendrick’s Hot Gin Punch
Gin and wine make for a spirited base in this warming brew, while lemon, orange, pineapple, honey, brown sugar and a few key spices — cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves — make for a sure-fire party starter.
Ingredients:
- 24 oz Hendrick’s Gin
- 24 oz Madeira wine
- 6 Lemon twists
- 1 Orange slice
- 3 large chunks Pineapple
- 3 oz Honey
- 1 oz Fresh lemon juice
- 3 Cloves
- 1 pinch Ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp Ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon Brown sugar
Preparation:
Add all the ingredients to a large saucepan and simmer over low heat for about 20 minutes. To serve, pour the hot mixture into a punch bowl or teapot and garnish with orange slices studded with cloves. Pair with gingerbread.
Source: Liquor.com
