Hot Toddy

Whiskey cocktail · Warm

Hot Toddy

Whisky, honey, lemon and hot water. Winter in a mug.

  • Time5 minutes
  • SkillEasy
  • Serves1
  • GlassHeatproof glass or mug
  • Kits from£34.94
Build your kit Jump to the recipe

A little history

Where it comes from

The word "toddy" probably comes from India, where "taddy" was a drink made from fermented palm sap. British traders brought the name home in the 1600s and 1700s, and it came to mean any hot drink of spirits, sugar and spices.

In Scotland, whisky, honey and hot water became the go-to cure for a winter cold. Whether it does any good is up for debate, but it's hard to beat on a dark evening when the wind's coming in off the sea.

What you need

  • 50ml Whisky In your kit
  • 1 tbsp Honey In your kit
  • 15ml Fresh lemon juice From your kitchen
  • 100ml Hot water, just off the boil From your kitchen
  • 1 Lemon wheel and 3 cloves From your kitchen
  • 1 Cinnamon stick, optional From your kitchen

Team tip

Don't use boiling water straight from the kettle. Give it a minute, or it scorches the whisky.

Build your kit
Three levels, from £34.94

How to make it

  1. 1

    Warm your mug or glass with hot water, then tip it out.

  2. 2

    Add the honey and lemon juice, then pour in the hot water and stir until the honey dissolves.

  3. 3

    Add the whisky and stir again.

  4. 4

    Stud a lemon wheel with cloves and float it on top. Add a cinnamon stick if you have one.

Garnish: A lemon wheel studded with cloves

Best with

What to eat with it

Gingerbread

Warm spice with warm spice. A proper winter pairing.

Mince pies

Honey and lemon lift the rich fruit.

Cheese on toast

Salty, melty cheese and a hot whisky on a cold night.

Chocolate panettone

A slice of something sweet by the fire.

Your Hot Toddy kit

1Choose your level

Every kit has a bottle of whisky and a jar of organic wildflower honey, enough for around 14 toddies.

2Swap the bottle if you like

3Add the extras

Try a twist

Smoky Toddy

Use a peated Islay whisky. It tastes like a bonfire in a mug.

Apple Toddy

Swap the water for hot cloudy apple juice and use apple brandy instead of whisky.

Rum Toddy

Use dark rum and a little maple syrup instead of honey.

Please enjoy responsibly. Over 18s only. For the facts, visit drinkaware.co.uk.