Cold season comfort with whisky hot toddy

March is one of those special months when everyone seems to be get sick, and since I caught a little bug myself, it got me thinking about feel-good drinks. Strong, black coffee or tea with lemon and lots of sugar are my go-to standards (strong coffee is always a go-to for me), but I’ve wanted to try making a hot toddy, and I’ve heard that some people think that whisky cures colds. Whether that’s true or not, who can resist a little warm whisky with sugar and spices?

The Guardian had one of the best breakdowns I’ve seen on what makes a great hot toddy, and I took their thought to heart that a subtle whisky is not the way to go. Instead, they recommend a whisky that has more personality, so to start with, I picked my whisky of choice: Highland Park 10 Year Old Single Malt Scotch. I love this whisky in coffee, so a hot toddy seems like a great fit, but there are a lot of great whiskies that would work well here, and it’s worth experimenting to see which one you prefer, including Johnnie Walker Black Label or a bourbon, like Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve, which would also work really well, and it would add a little more kick.

After the whisky selection, there’s the question of spice, seasoning and sweetness. I’m a fan of something a little sweeter, but you could easily adjust the recipe to make it more sour, with a bit more lemon and a little less sugar. For spice and flavour, cloves and cinnamon are a must for me, and if you have some, a little vanilla bean is a nice touch, but that works best for a sweeter toddy, or a bourbon toddy.

Finally, the Guardian had another great suggestion, and that’s to infuse your hot water with the spices. That means just putting your water in a pot with the spice and bringing it to a light simmer.

Here’s my whisky hot toddy recipe. Give it a try and let me know what you think, or leave your suggestions for how you like your toddy in the comments below.

Whisky Hot Toddy
1/4 cup of water
1/4 cup of whisky
2 tsp Demerara sugar or brown sugar
1 tsp lemon juice
3 cloves
Cinnamon stick
Sprinkle of nutmeg

1. Make sure you have a mug or glass that can hold half a cup of liquid. Warm the glass with some boiling or very warm water.
2. Bring water to a light simmer over medium heat in a small pot and add sugar, cloves and cinnamon stick just before the water boils. Stir until sugar is dissolved and remove from heat.
3. Empty the water from your glass and add the whisky to your glass, followed by the lemon juice and infused water.
4. Stir lightly and add a garnish if you like. Lemon or I like an orange slice, or a slice of lemon, are traditionally used, but you can always experiment. Then sprinkle a little nutmeg on top.

Image courtesy of Timothy Krause.