Spiced Rum Hot Toddy #1

Between moving and both of us getting sick, we haven’t been on top of our game lately. We have, however, been using own down time to up our hot toddy game – because we have really needed them. Most basic hot toddies involve a spirit, honey, lemon juice and hot water. The real key is that they are served hot, because we know more than a few people who take theirs with only lemon, spirit and hot water and no sweetener at all. We like things to be a bit sweeter, so we started this toddy with a syrup made with Meyer lemon juice, honey, sugar and cinnamon. The Meyer lemon is a bit less acidic than other lemons and delivers a great lemon flavor without dominating the other ingredients in the drink.

Spiced rum provides a great shortcut to making this toddy a little bit spicier than it would otherwise be and, if you’re whipping this up to ward off a chill or temper a cold, you’ll appreciate how quickly it comes together. We also added a bit of bourbon to bring in a hint of oak, to make the drink a little more complex. While the spice rum does add complexity quickly, the syrup does require a little bit of advance planning and is best if it is made ahead of time. It will keep in the refrigerator for several days after it has been prepared, however, so just whip some up now and keep it on hand so that it is ready when you need it.

Spiced Rum Hot Toddy #1
1 1/2 oz spiced rum
1/2 oz bourbon
1 oz Lemon & Honey Syrup
1/4 oz allspice dram
1/4 oz Amaretto
4 oz boiling water
orange twist

Combine spiced rum, syrup, allspice dram and Amaretto in a irish coffee mug. Top with boiling water and squeeze an orange twist over the top before serving,

Serves 1.

Meyer Lemon & Honey Syrup
1/2 cup meyer lemon juice, freshly squeezed
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup sugar*
1 cinnamon stick

Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer and stir to dissolve sugar. Remove from heat and allow to sit for 30 minutes, then discard cinnamon stick. Syrup will keep for 4-5 days in the refrigerator.