Want to curl up on the sofa with a winter cocktail? These delicious hot toddies will warm your cockles on a chilly evening…
Updated on 3 November: There’s definitely still an icy chill in the air, isn’t there? And, thanks to our newfound need to spend time outdoors (thanks a bunch, lockdown) most of us are having to spend our lunchbreaks navigating puddles and fierce winds down the local park.
Basically, we all know that the British winter weather sucks. So we can be forgiven for wanting to curl up indoors, stick Netflix on, and listen to the rain hammer against the windows from the comfort of our own sofas.
Of course, when we get home after a rainy walk, the first thing we want to do is warm up. And, while turning up the thermostat and kicking off our sodden socks is a good start, there’s nothing quite so warming as a hot toddy or a mulled wine.
But, for fans of mother’s ruin everywhere, we’ve found something even better: warm gin cocktails.
That’s right – gin isn’t just for summer anymore.
As reported on 20 December 2019: In the London of yesteryear, the Thames would freeze over and become a playground for all in the city, hosting a plethora of wintery gastronomic delights. As people didn’t have central heating, they kept themselves warm and cosy with hot drinks. And, yes, the majority of them were alcoholic.
Lightly spiced, beautifully aromatic, and full of heady botanicals, a glug of gin is the perfect base for a winter warmer.
Anyone else tempted to whip one up to stave off this winter chill? Then scroll through for our favourite hot gin recipes for autumn and winter, and remember to drink responsibly.
The best warm gin cocktails
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Mulled Apple with V.J.O.P
You will need:
1 cinnamon stick
Peel of 1 large orange
Peel of 1 large lemon
Small knob of fresh ginger, grated
1 litre carton apple juice
2 tsp runny honey
50ml Sipsmith VJOP per person
1 orange wedge per personDirections:
1) Add the cinnamon stick, orange and lemon peel, and a sprinkle of the grated ginger to a large saucepan.
2) Pour in the apple juice and place the pan over a low heat, simmering for 10-15 minutes to allow the flavours to infuse.
3) Stir in the honey
4) Strain the mixture into a jug
5) Pour into glasses filled with 50ml of gin
6) Garnish with orange wedges -
Hot G&T
You will need:
50ml Sipsmith London Dry gin
25ml tonic syrup
10ml sugar syrup
A twist of orange peelDirections:
1) Combine your mixture in a glass, before topping off with boiling water
2) Garnish with an orange twist
3) Enjoy!
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Hot Gin Skin
You will need:
1 spoonful of honey
50ml Sipsmith London Dry gin
3 dried cloves
½ measure of lemon juice
1 lemon slices
1 cinnamon stickDirections:
1) Warm a glass
2) Add a spoonful of honey, as well as your gin, cloves, and juice
3) Top with boiling water and stir until the honey has dissolved
4) Garnish with lemon slice and cinnamon stick -
Hot London Cup
You will need:
50ml Sipsmith London Cup
100ml cloudy apple juice
100ml orange juice
An orange segmentDirections:
1) Gently heat the juices together in a pan over the stove, until warm and simmering.
2) Pour over your gin and muddle them together.
3) Garnish with a wedge of orange, and serve. -
Spiced Mulled Sloe
You will need:
50ml Sipsmith Sloe Gin
100ml cloudy apple juice
100ml clementine juice
A cinnamon stick
1tsp vanilla extract
3 whole cloves
A clove-studded orange wheelDirections:
1) Pour your glug of gin into a glass.
2) Meanwhile, heat the juices together gently, with the cloves, vanilla extract, and cinnamon stick.
3) Strain the mixture into your gin tumbler, and mix together
4) Garnish with the clove-studded orange wheel -
Purl Royal
You will need:
150ml London Dry Gin
1l of Madeira red wine
100ml cloudy apple juice
100ml satsuma juice
90g demerara sugar
5g of hops
2 cloves
1 dessert spoon of honey
1 pinch of cinnamon
2 dashes of Angostura bitters
1 star anise
1 cinnamon stick
Orange wedgesDirections:
1) Combine all ingredients (bar the cinnamon stick and wedges) in a large pan and bring to a simmer
2) Keep on the heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally
3) Remove from the heat and set aside to cool for a few minutes – you want it to be a drinkable temperature
4) Strain it into glasses
5) Garnish with orange wedges and cinnamon stick, if desired
Images: Sipsmith, iStock
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