Winter cocktails
Winter drinking is about warmth: hot drinks, darker spirits and richer flavours. Start with something steaming, then move on to a slow, stirred drink by the fire.
29 recipes · page 1 of 2
What makes a good winter cocktail
Winter drinks lean on dark spirits, spice and heat. Whisky, bourbon, brandy and aged rum have the weight to stand up to cold weather, and they go well with honey, citrus peel, cinnamon, cloves and coffee. Fruit juice matters less than in summer, and a drink with just a spirit, a sweetener and bitters often works best.
Hot drinks need a little care. Warm the glass first, let just-boiled water stand for a minute before you use it, and never let wine boil. Boiling drives off the alcohol and turns the spices bitter.
Hot winter drinks for one or for a crowd
For one person, a hot toddy is quick: 50 ml whisky, 15 ml honey, 10 ml lemon juice and 100 ml just-boiled water, with cloves and a cinnamon stick. Irish coffee uses 40 ml Irish whiskey, hot sweetened coffee and a layer of loosely whipped cream.
For a group, use a pan. Mulled wine serves six from one 750 ml bottle of fruity red, and the brandy goes in last, off the heat. Mulled cider and white mulled wine work the same way and suit people who find red wine too heavy. More hot options are on the hot drinks page.
Stirred whisky drinks for cold evenings
A stirred drink is the slow option. The Manhattan is 50 ml rye, 25 ml sweet vermouth and two dashes of Angostura. The Boulevardier is a bourbon cousin of the Negroni: 40 ml bourbon with 25 ml each of Campari and sweet vermouth.
Keep opened vermouth in the fridge. It is wine, and it goes flat within a few weeks at room temperature. If you want something sharper, the Penicillin is a Scotch sour with honey and ginger, and the White Russian and Brandy Alexander are the creamy choices after dinner.
Alcohol-free and lighter winter drinks
Not every winter drink needs to be strong. Hot lemon, honey and ginger and hot spiced cranberry are both made without alcohol and are served hot, so they sit happily beside the mulled wine. Mulled wine and mulled cider are also lower in strength than a stirred whisky drink, and you can keep a pan of either on the lowest heat for a party. Offer water between rounds, particularly with the stronger drinks.
Questions people ask
What is the best cocktail to drink in winter?
A hot toddy or mulled wine is the most reliable winter choice, because both are hot, simple and made from things most kitchens already have. For a cold drink, a stirred whisky cocktail such as an Old Fashioned gives the same sense of warmth without heating anything.
What can I drink in winter that is not mulled wine?
A hot toddy, Irish coffee, hot buttered rum or mulled cider are all good hot alternatives. Hot buttered rum is 50 ml dark rum with softened butter, dark brown sugar and a pinch of allspice, topped with 150 ml just-boiled water.
How do you make mulled wine without boiling it?
Warm it over a low heat for 10 to 15 minutes and stop while it is steaming but not bubbling. Dissolve the sugar with the spices and a splash of wine first, then add the rest. Stir in the brandy off the heat, just before serving.
What whisky is best for winter cocktails?
Use a blended Scotch for hot toddies and any Scotch-based drink, and bourbon or rye for an Old Fashioned or Manhattan. You do not need an expensive bottle for hot drinks. Rye gives a Manhattan a drier, spicier edge, and bourbon makes it softer.
Which winter drinks can I make in a batch?
Mulled wine serves six, and mulled cider and eggnog each serve eight, so they suit a party. Eggnog is better made ahead, because the flavours settle after a night in the fridge. Hot drinks can then be kept on the lowest heat while guests help themselves.
Are there alcohol-free winter drinks?
Yes. Hot lemon, honey and ginger is a one-mug drink made with sliced fresh ginger, lemon juice and honey. Hot spiced cranberry serves four and holds well in a slow cooker on low, though you should take the cloves out after an hour or it turns bitter.