Hot Toddy Recipe

Classic Hot Toddy

Whenever the weather turns properly cold and miserable, this is immediately what I reach for. There’s no cocktail shaker, no complicated syrups, and no fuss—just good whisky, hot water, honey, lemon, and a couple of spices to sort you out. It takes two minutes to throw together, and it does the job every single time.

You will need:

• 50 ml of your favourite Whisky/Whiskey (Bourbon, Single Malts, blended Scotch, or Irish whiskey—whatever you have open)

• 2-3 tsp honey

• 1/2 lemon (2/3 slices of lemon plus 2 tsp of freshly squeezed lemon juice)

• 1 cinnamon stick

• 2-3 whole cloves

• 150 ml boiling water

How to:

1. Melt the honey: Grab your favourite heatproof mug or glass. Add the honey, your whisky, a generous squeeze of fresh lemon juice, and just a tiny splash of the hot water. Stir it around until the honey dissolves completely into the liquid.

2. Top it up: Pour in the rest of your boiling water and give it another gentle stir.

3. Add the aromatics: Drop in the cinnamon stick, cloves, and lemon slices. Give it a minute or two to steep so the spices actually come through and it cools down enough to drink without burning your mouth.

4. Enjoy: Wrap your hands around the mug and take your time with it.

A Few Quick Tips

• The whisky: Don't stress about using an expensive single malt for this. A solid bourbon brings a lot of sweet vanilla and caramel, an Irish whiskey keeps things light and mellow, and a blended Scotch gives it that classic malty bite. Pick whichever bottle you naturally reach for.

• Tweak the spices: The cinnamon and cloves are great, but if you don't keep them in the cupboard, don't worry about it. Whisky, lemon, and honey on their own make a brilliant drink. If you want a bit of heat, drop a coin of fresh sliced ginger in there instead.

• Sweetness level: Start with two teaspoons of honey, taste it, and add more if you prefer it sweeter. If you’ve run out of honey, a dark brown sugar or maple syrup works just as well.

Nothing beats a hot drink when it’s freezing outside. If you make one tonight, let me know in the comments how you put yours together.

As always, please drink responsibly.

If you like this recipe, please click on the little heart below, and if you try it, please let me know how it goes in the comments below.

As always, I hope life is treating you well.

Take care.