Name: Hot Toddy (Hot Scotch and Lemon)
Total time: 3 min
Cuisine: Cocktail
Ingredients: 45 ml Scotch whisky; 7.5 ml Lemon juice; 7.5 ml Honey and water syrup; 5 ml Sugar syrup 'rich' (2:1); 3 dried Clove; 60 ml Boiling water

Ingredients

1 1/2 fl oz

Blended Scotch whisky

1/4 fl oz

Lemon juice (freshly squeezed)

1/4 fl oz

Honey syrup (3 parts honey to 1 water by weight)

1/6 fl oz

Sugar syrup 'rich' (2 sugar to 1 water) 65.0°Brix

3 dried

Clove

2 fl oz

Boiling water

How to make

Glassware

Prepare

Select and pre-heat a TODDY GLASS.

Prepare garnish of lemon slice wheel and cinnamon stick.

Method

POUR first 4 ingredients into pre-warmed glass.

ADD cloves.

TOP with boiling water.

Garnish

Garnish with lemon slice on rim and cinnamon stick in glass.

Flavour Profile

No alcohol

Medium

Boozy

Sweet

Medium

Dry/sour

Health & Nutrition

Alcohol content:

We don't have enough information to calculate the alc./vol., but based on known ingredients, this recipe contains at least:

14.2 grams of pure alcohol

History

The earliest known reference to a toddy was published in 1741 in England, and Dickens refers to a "Whisky Toddy" in The Pickwick Papers, published in 1836.

A Whisky Toddy features in Jerry Thomas' Bar-tenders Guide, published in 1862.

Whiskey Toddy.
(Use small bar glass.)
1 teaspoon of sugar.
½ wine-glass of water.
1 do. Whiskey.
1 small lump of ice.
Stir with a spoon.

Jerry Thomas, Jerry Thomas' Bar-tenders Guide, 1862

Comments & Discussion

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rudy sebille 33w

Excellent, recette parfaite et équilibrée, la boisson pour les longues soirées d'hiver au coin du feu.

Josh Scott 45w

Since alcohol evaporates at 170 degrees, depending on how you make this, you could evaporate the alcohol out of it with the boiling water.

Annechien Premium Member 2y

I really want a mug full of this delicious drink so I double everything except the scotch. And then pre-warm the mug by filling it with boiling water and letting it stand for a few minutes. The amount of scotch I add varies per occasion. On a cold winter’s day I might go for the full double amount but when I’m down with a cold (like now) I keep the scotch at one portion.

John CARR Premium Member 2y

After some experimentation with penicillins, was lovely to have something hot - and use the ginger and honey syrup that I had just made.
Delish and very easy drinking! Used my current favourite combination of Rittenhouse 2 parts to talisker 1 part for the base. Could easily up the quantities 50% next time till fill the cup.

Annabelle Egginton 2y

I tried this as needed a pick me up with a drawn out cold. It really does clear the sinuses!

Simon Schmalbein 2y

Made my first Hot Toddy today, absolutely delicious:
45ml Monkey Shoulder
15ml Smokey Scotch (Laphroig 10)
12,5ml Lemon juice
15ml Honey Sirup (Giffard Miel)
5ml ground clove-powder
2 dashes Angostura bitters
1 stick of cinnamon.

This is my drink of the Winter 2023 :D

Chris Dimal 38w

Sounds like a great recipe! But where is the water? Haha!

Chris Dimal 38w

Tried your recipe and I am really sorry, but Difford's version is better. WAY too much clove. I couldn't taste anything else. Is your clove powder maybe less effective? I freshly ground them for mine and it is all I get. I am still sure the recipe is good, but I wouldn't be surprised if the cloves need to be reduced.

Simon Schmalbein 38w

Hey, thanks for trying it out!
Yes, I did NOT use fresh ground clove. It was the pre-ground stuff you can buy for baking and probably already a few years old. So if you do it with fresh ground clove, you are most likely right and should use way less. However, I still prefere it over using hole cloves as I find that they give almost no flavor to the drink.

Michael Cronin 3y

Have previously made mine with Irish Whiskey only. The Scotch and bitters adds an incredible depth and complexity. Take the added step of prewarming your glass or mug on the trivet of the wood stove and this is “the balls”.

Chris Dimal 3y

Tried it with two Scotches: William Lawson and Chivas Regal 12. I actually liked it better with the William Lawson. Also, why is the quantity super low. The measurements feel off, and even with pre-warming the glass, it still ends up lukewarm.