As It Gets Colder Out Don’t Forget This Classic Hot Cocktail

Tis the season for lower temps, and while it's not the brutal cold we will be experiencing come January, sometimes its nice to have a cocktail to warm the bones.

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One drink that I often forget about because I don't generally drink them for six to eight months a year is the hot toddy.

For being such a simple drink, a hot toddy sure does warm the bones, and you don't even have to use expensive alcohol to make a decent one.  If you have never had a hot toddy and aren't quite sure how to make one, it's pretty simple.

Ingredient wise, a classic hot toddy is made with hot water, whiskey, honey, and lemon.  I just kind of wing the amounts of each and make it to taste, but ideally you would use:

3/4 cup of water

1.5 ounces of whiskey(last year we used Very Old Barton Bourbon quite a bit)

2-3 teaspoons of honey(we use 3 or more)

2-3 teaspoons of lemon juice

1 lemon round

1 stick of cinnamon(if you like the taste)

Take all of that, heat it on the stove, and you have a cocktail guaranteed to warm your bones when it's chilly out.  It's also a nice drink to sip on if you have a cold or cough going on.

As far as variations, you also can't go wrong making a hot toddy with brandy if you prefer that over whiskey, and again, you don't have to spend a lot of money on the booze portion.  Some people will also add other spices, or even some tea to the mixture, again all based on your taste preferences.  If you try one and don't like it, mess around with the mixture some until it works for you.  A couple of cups before bed is also pretty good sleeping medicine.