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 (2:1); 3 dried Clove; 60 ml Boiling water

Hot Toddy (Hot Scotch & Lemon)
Jump to

Serve in a Toddy glass

Ingredients:
1 ¹⁄₂ oz	Blended Scotch whisky
¹⁄₄ oz	Lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
¹⁄₄ oz	Honey syrup (3 parts honey to 1 water by weight)
¹⁄₆ oz	Monin Pure Cane Syrup (65.0°brix, equivalent to 2:1 rich syrup)
3 dried	Clove
2 oz	Boiling water

Read about cocktail measures and measuring

How to make:

Select and pre-heat a Toddy glass.
Prepare garnish of lemon slice wheel and cinnamon stick.
POUR all ingredients into pre-warmed glass.
Garnish with lemon slice on rim and cinnamon stick in glass.

Strength & taste guide:

No alcohol

Medium

Boozy

Sweet

Medium

Dry/sour

More cocktails with similar strength and taste profile

Hot Toddy (Hot Scotch & Lemon) lifestyle image

Cocktail of the day:

11th January 2025 is Hot Toddy Day

Review:

The faintly smoky flavours of Scotch add spice to this warming cocktail which is great when you're feeling down with a cold or the flu.

View readers' comments

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

More Classic/vintage cocktails
More Hall of Fame & must know/try cocktails
More Hot Drinks cocktails
More Winter cocktails

Difford’s Guide remains free-to-use thanks to the support of the brands in green above. Values stated for alcohol and calorie content, and number of drinks an ingredient makes should be considered approximate.

Join the discussion

Showing 9 comments for Hot Toddy (Hot Scotch & Lemon).
See discussion in the Forum

Please log in to make a comment

Annechien

18th August 2024 at 07:53

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

26th May 2024 at 12:15

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

2nd February 2024 at 20:34

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

Simon Schmalbein

22nd December 2023 at 15:03

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

Michael Cronin

1st January 2023 at 23:40

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

5th December 2022 at 12:57

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.

G. M. Genovese

20th April 2024 at 07:07

My experience exactly, regarding the measurements and lukewarmness. Only sub in Shieldaig for the whisky, which was barely acceptable.

J W-S

6th November 2022 at 14:14

This is delicious, had it in a flash for Bonfire Night. Made the 'honey' syrup with maple syrup owing to a shopping issue - tasty!

Jim Plante

14th September 2022 at 22:37

Having a mild case of Covid, and this is just what I needed! I made mine with rich Demerara syrup. I think dash of angustura bitters might be nice also.

Leon Camfield

7th December 2022 at 20:53

I can confirm the Ango is a great addition! Extra spice, which is all things nice ?

Jacob Olenick

13th April 2022 at 09:27

Had a bit of a cold, so I gave this a go, and it's surprisingly effective! Aside from being yummy, the steam reopens clogged sinuses like a vaporub. Probably a bit less healthy than the vaporub though...

See discussion in the Forum