My Rye Toddy Is The Best Cold Weather Cocktail For Outdoors

Delightfully Boozy Drinks To Keep You Warm This Winter

It is getting chilly out, with the days getting shorter and the holiday season in full swing. In other words, a good a reason to sip a hot spiked drink. We have decided to round up a few cold weather cocktails that are best served warm. Think wintertime whiskey, boozed toddys, spiked cider, and hot chocolate. These seasonally appropriate drinks are the perfect libations to curl up with a good book or as an après ski cocktail to help you defrost from your snow-filled outdoor adventures. Whatever the activity, these soul-warming elixirs will help you enjoy the coziest season.

My Rye Toddy

Ingredients

1 1/2 parts Basil Hayden’s Dark Rye Whiskey
¾ part Honey Simple Syrup *
¼ part Lemon Juice
7 parts Hot Apple Cider
Cinnamon Stick
3-4 Cranberries

Method:

Heat 7 parts of apple cider over stove in a pot. Once it is hot, remove from heat and add remaining ingredients into pot and stir to make sure flavors are absorbed. Strain mixture into an insulated mug and garnish with cranberries.

*Honey Simple Syrup Recipe: Combine equal parts honey and equal parts water over heat until dissolved.

Mulled Hot Rye Cider

Courtesy Scott Harris, founder and general manager of Catoctin Creek Distilling Co.

Ingredients:

½ Gallon of apple cider
2 satsuma oranges
1 honey crisp apple
3 cinnamon sticks
10 cloves
1 part Catoctin Creek Roundstone Rye whisky

Method:

Thinly slice the oranges and apple horizontally. Pour the cider in a large pot and add the slices of fruit, the cinnamon sticks and cloves. Bring to a boil over high heat then lower the heat and let the mixture simmer for about 30 minutes until fragrant. Fill up mugs about three quarters full and add about an ounce of rye whiskey to each mug. Garnish with an apple or orange slice, half a cinnamon stick and cloves.

Best Spuds

Courtesy Brandon “Habi” Habenstein, beverage director of The Kitchen & Bar at Bardstown Bourbon Company

Ingredients:

1 oz Bardstown Bourbon Co. Fusion Series
1 oz sweet potato butter*
3 oz boiling water
Freshly grated nutmeg

Method:

Combine bourbon and sweet potato butter in a mug. Top with boiling water. Stir to combine. Grate nutmeg on top.

* Sweet Potato Butter :

2 cups peeled, chopped sweet potatoes
8 tbsp unsalted butter
1/4 cup raw sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

Instructions: Boil peeled, chopped sweet potatoes until quite soft (~20 minutes). Drain liquid and mash while hot. Add remaining ingredients to mashed potatoes. Stir until thoroughly blended––the creamier, the better.

Cowgirl Coffee

Courtesy Miranda “Randi” Densford, bar manager of Barn8 Farm Restaurant & Bourbon Bar

Ingredients:

8 oz Hot coffee
5 oz Rittenhouse Rye
2 oz spiced coconut cream
1 oz spiced walnut syrup*

Method:

Combine ingredients in a mug and stir. Serve warm.

*Spiced Walnut Syrup

½ cup pure maple syrup
¼ cup light corn syrup
¼ cup water
¼ cup brown sugar
1/8 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 cup toasted walnuts
Pinch of salt

Directions: In a small saucepan, stir to combine the two syrups, water, brown sugar and pumpkin pie spice. Bring mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil for 2 minutes. Add toasted walnuts, stirring to combine, and allow to boil for 2 additional minutes. Remove pan from heat. Stir in pinch of salt. Allow to cool slightly, then serve. For longer storage, cool completely, transfer to an airtight container and store in refrigerator for up to a month.

Bourbon Hot Chocolate

Courtesy Katie Tobin, bar manager at New Riff Distilling

Ingredients:

1 oz New Riff Kentucky Straight Bourbon
5 oz Bourbon cream*
1 oz water
5 oz dark chocolate fudge dessert topping
5 oz Luxardo cherry juice
1-2 dashes of cherry bitters
1-2 dashes of Aztec chocolate bitters

Method:
Add all ingredients except the bourbon cream to a mug. Microwave for 1 minute, stir, microwave for another 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add bourbon cream and garnish with chocolate covered cherries and marshmallows.

*Bourbon Cream: Combine 1-1/2 cups evaporated milk (1-12 ounce can), 1 cup Bourbon, 2/3 cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1⁄2 teaspoon instant coffee a large mason jar. Secure lid on tight and shake until combined. Store in the fridge.

Mulled Bourbon Cider

Courtesy Tory Pratt, founder, Pratt Standard Cocktail Co.

Ingredients:

1. 5 oz Bourbon
1 oz Pratt Standard Cocktail Co. Tonic syrup
4 oz apple cider
1 cinnamon stick

Method:

Pour cider and tonic into a microwave safe mug and heat until boiling, usually 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add the bourbon and stir briefly to combine. Garnish with cinnamon stick.

Photos:

Courtesy