What’s Hot Toddy Made Of?

Hot Toddy is a winter alcoholic beverage, originally from Scotland, used to dilute cold temperatures; in ancient times it was used to relieve the symptoms of winter ailments, flu, colds and sore throats, consumed mostly before going to bed.

January 11 is Hot Toddy Day, the day dedicated to one of the cornerstones of blending: an invigorating and wintry mug of alcohol, water, sugar and flavorings from which the drinks we know today were derived.

History of Hot Toddy

As with the simplest and most enduring things, there are no certain reports about the birth of Hot Toddy, nor can its recipe be considered unique and certified. Various are the theories behind its creation: given its apparent Scottish origin, it seems to have been devised to allow women to appreciate a drop of Scotch Whiskey, which absolute or on the rocks was instead too strong or sour. Or there are tales of it being blended as a rudimentary remedy for fevers and various colds. Needless to say, it has been for a good century the preferred means of keeping warm, and it rightfully ranks among the quintessential Christmas and winter drinks, along with the legendary EggNog, thanks to its sweet and enveloping scents, perfect for a couple of hours in front of the fireplace.

Where Does The Name Hot Toddy Come From?

Even on the date of conception and origin of the name there seems to be no consensus: some say it is an homage to a natural water source near Edinburgh, Todian Spring. Others speak of its older brother toddy, originating in India and made from fermented palm resin, which would even date back to the mid-1600s. Or again of Robert Bentley Todd, an Irish scientist who first prescribed the concoction as a solution to a patient’s ailments (1809-1860). Retracing written traces, as early as 1837, within the pages of the mythical Pickwick Circle, Charles Dickens mentioned a generic whiskey toddy, and in the same year the Burlington Free Press listed it as a medicine (source vinepair.com).

The only thing certain is the possibility of calling it one of the first cocktails in history. The structure of the Hot Toddy is of course simple: a distillate, a sweetener, a boiling base, spices; four ingredients probably available in any home, at any latitude and in any age. The best known and most widely consumed variant consists of bourbon whiskey (although Scotch remains unbeatable), sugar or honey, boiling water or black tea and lemon juice, with a generous spoonful of whatever spice you prefer, as long as it is comfortable: cinnamon, cloves. It works great with any aged spirits (so-called brown spirits such as rum and brandy), but some people prefer it with gin.

All you need is a fireplace and some firewood.

 

Hot Toddy Basic Recipe:

For two glasses:

50 ml whiskey or rum or bourbon or brandy

Juice of half a lemon

3 cloves

1 cinnamon stick

2-3 tablespoons of honey

about 400 ml water or tea

 

Bring the water or tea with the spices to a boil (at this puto you can make the tea or use the flavored water alone). Put the honey, lemon juice and whiskey in a glass and pour in the flavored water or hot tea and stir.

 

Earl Grey Hot Toddy

Whiskey syrup

1 dl whiskey

½ dl lemon juice

4 c. maple syrup

 

How to make whiskey syrup:

Mix the whiskey with the lemon juice and maple syrup and pour into glasses or cups.

 

Bring the water to a boil, remove from the heat, add the Earl Grey sachets and let them steep for approx. 3 minutes. Remove the sachets, bring to a boil again and pour the tea while still hot into glasses.

Serve

If desired, stir the hot toddy with a cinnamon stick and garnish the rim of the glass with a lemon slice.