Drinks To Blanket You in Warmth This Winter

hot toddy with Irish whiskey at the Penrose, NYC - courtesy the Penrose

hot toddy with Irish whiskey at the Penrose, NYC - courtesy the Penrose

Bottles and warming drink recipes to last the coldest season

There’s nothing more comforting on a chilly day than whiling away the hours in a good, warm bar. However, there are moments when that bar happens to be the one in your own home, so it’s best to be stocked up for a long, dark season ahead. Here are some ways to stay toasty, with comforting winter spirits to be sipped neat, and ways to stir up an extra layer of heat. 

Warming winter nightcaps from the bottle 

Whisk(e)y

A Midwinter Night’s Dram Act VIII The Utah distillery High West bottles this wintry rye annually, and for this year’s “act”, their Rendezvous Rye is finished in French oak port barrels. Sipped at room temperature, the warmth and spiciness that radiates from the whiskey makes for an ideal balm to cope with shivery conditions. (42.3% ABV, $100) 

For Woodford Reserve’s Master Collection Chocolate Malted Rye, Master Distiller Chris Norris discovered he could mimic cocoa-like flavors by giving extra roasting time to the rye grains in the mash bill. And by golly, it works! Though I’m sad to report I’ve been told this Swiss Miss bliss in whiskey form is a one-off limited release. (46% ABV, $130)

Nikka Coffey Grain: whenever I sip this whisky from Miyagikyo Distillery, I can’t help picturing those iconic illustrations of snow-capped mountains in Japan. Coffey refers to the type of still used to make it, not coffee as in the flavor, but there is an undeniable cappuccino-like character on the nose and palate, with hints of toasted almonds, apples, cinnamon and clove. (45% ABV, $70) 

Wintry Tequila

This year, Tequila Fortaleza has begun what they promise will be a new annual tradition with Winter Blend 2019 Reposado. The distillery’s traditional reposado is rested 6 months in ex-bourbon American oak casks, then blended with another tequila that was aged 11 months in new French oak. Considering all that oak treatment, the integrity of the agave is very much still present with herbal citrusy notes shining through. These are accented by (read: not smothered in) flavors reminiscent of buttery pear and apple tart with vanilla ice cream and milk chocolate. (45.7% ABV, $125)

Hot Penicillin at the Spaniard, photo by Noah Fecks

Hot Penicillin at the Spaniard, photo by Noah Fecks

Comforting Toddy Variations 

I love sipping a good spirit neat in wintertime, but sometimes an extra layer of warmth is needed against the elements. While the traditional toddy ingredient is whiskey, there’s no rule against changing up the base spirit and playing around with the citrus and spices.

The basic formula: add 1 or 2 ounces of the base spirit with the citrus (a peel, a wedge, a wheel) to a glass or ceramic mug, then add a tsp of good honey and gently press the citrus into it with the back of a spoon. Add hot water to top, stir gently and let winter magic do its thing. You can then play around with ingredients from here. Suggestions below:

  • Traditional hot toddy: some of my favorite whiskies for this are Speyburn 10 Year and Aberfeldy 12 Year scotch, or a malty bourbon like Black Dirt from Upstate NY, or comforting Irish like Bushmills Black Bush. Really almost any good sipping whisk(e)y works well here. As with wine for cooking, don’t make toddies with booze you wouldn’t want to sip on its own (hey, those last 2 whiskeys were silver medal winners in the 2019 NY International Spirits Competiton even!). Use 2 oz of the whiskey, honey, and stick 5 cloves into a wheel of lemon. 

  • Hot Penicillin: this take on the neo modern classic cocktail comes from NYC’s the Spaniard, who use 2 oz of Compass Box Great King Street whisky with a tsp of fresh lemon juice, a tsp of honey syrup, and a few drops of fresh ginger juice. Don’t have ginger juice? I like taking a hunk of peeled ginger, putting it in a tea ball and steeping it in the toddy for a couple of minutes. This technique also works well with the traditional hot whisky formula. 

  • Smoky toddy: for a bit of fireplace action in your cup, take 2 oz of a bold, peated Scotch like Laphroaig 10 Year Cask Strength or Big Peat, or even a mezcal such as Fidencio Clásico, and add a bit of tangerine, clementine or orange peel with honey. This is also good with hot, brewed orange pekoe tea instead of plain hot water. 

  • Hot gin: If I get a tingle in my throat or feel a bit congested, I find juniper to be a soothing anti-inflammatory. Now that it’s available in the states as of this year, I like using a mix of 2 oz Sipsmith Lemon Drizzle with brewed chamomile tea, a hint of wildflower honey, and a cinnamon stick. 

  • Tropical toddy: Who says summery-feeling drinks have to be ice cold? Warm up physically and mentally by combining an ounce of your favorite aged rum of choice with an ounce of Plantation Stiggins’ Fancy Pineapple rum, add a little coconut or banana syrup and a twist of orange and you have a first class ticket to Heatopia. 

  • Amaro toddy: for a lower ABV option, try the basic toddy recipe swapping out the whiskey with 1.5 oz of an amaro on the sweeter and spicier bent, such as La Boîte from Bloomington Indiana’s Cardinal Spirits or Amaro Lucano from Italy. (For more Italian liqueur options, please read here). 

The Spiced Yule

For a Christmas or New Year’s Eve, or any time you need an excuse to combine flavors of chocolate and whisky, try this delightful recipe from bartender and the Balvenie brand ambassador Naomi Leslie. She says she wanted to add a touch of savory to balance the sweet, hence the smoked paprika. The whisky was briefly finished in casks that once held rum, which adds a maraca shake of rummy sunshine.  

 Add all ingredients (except Prosecco) to a shaker with ice. Shake briefly and strain into a Champagne flute or coupe glass. Top with Prosecco. Add lemon twist. 

Featured, Cocktails, SpiritsAmanda Schusterdrinkwire, tequila, whiskey, new york international spirits competition, warmComment