Humans have warmed spirits up everytime temperatures have gone down. Our team dives into the history of hot drinks in this blog and also shares a few hot cocktail variations and tips for making the best hot cocktails this winter. Here goes…
A History of Hot Cocktails 
How Should You Heat a Cocktail?
Heat and alcohol can be testy partners. Adding an ounce or two of warm water to a straight pour of bourbon will help open up the spirit, releasing a bouquet of tasting notes. Heating bourbon alone will scald it and burn out all flavors. Remember to heat all ingredients but the alcohol when making a hot cocktail and then add the spirits as the last step.
What Was the First Hot Cocktail?
This is a tricky question to answer, but it is reasonable to assert that hot cocktails have their origins in wine. Romans were heating and mulling wine two thousand years ago and the earliest recorded instance of spiced and heated wine can be traced back to Plautus’ play “Curculio,” which was composed during the 2nd Century BC. In typical Roman fashion, culinary and beverage traditions disseminated globally, leading to diverse adaptations of heated wine and spiced beverages in numerous cultures.
Here are some of our favorite hot cocktails that have emerged over the years:
Wassail, 12th Century
Wassail is a mulled cider or ale connected with wassailing, an age-old English Yuletide drinking ritual and salutation. Wassailing is either part of door-to-door charity-giving or is employed to ensure a bountiful harvest in the coming year. Lambswool is an early variation of Wassail, brewed from ale, baked apples, sugar and various spices, and to which we added a modern touch of whiskey. Try the recipe below:
Whiskey Lambswool
- 8 oz ale
- 8 oz apple cider
- 6 oz Joseph Magnus Bourbon
- 3 apples
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 clove
- 1 tsp nutmeg
- 1 star anise
- Vanilla extract
- Freshly grated nutmeg, garnish
Core the apples and bake in the oven at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes until very soft. Squeeze the pulp from the apples into a saucepan and stir in spices and vanilla. Once mixture is warmed on the stove, add ale and cider and heat for 2-3 more minutes. Divide the mixture into three mugs and add 2 oz bourbon to each. Stir, top with nutmeg, and serve immediately.
Hot Toddy, 18th Century
The Hot Toddy is the most well-known and widely-enjoyed warm cocktail. Like many classic cocktails its enduring popularity can be attributed to its simple and straightforward recipe. A common misconception surrounding the Hot Toddy is that it is the first recorded warm cocktail, originating in Jerry Thomas’ 1862 Bartender’s Guide. But the term “toddy” – and also “taddy” and “toady” – were actually already included in the British Dictionary in 1786. They were defined as “a beverage made of alcoholic liquor with hot water, sugar, and spices.” Here’s a Jos. A. Magnus version of the Hot Toddy:
Cinnamon Hot Toddy
- 2 oz Joseph Magnus Bourbon
- 4 oz water
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- cinnamon sticks
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- Orange slice, garnish
- Cinnamon stick, garnish
Bring the water, maple syrup, and cinnamon to a boil in a small saucepan. Boil 2 minutes, remove from the heat, and let sit for 5 minutes. Pour into a heat proof mug or glass and stir in the Joseph Magnus Bourbon and lemon juice. Garnish with an orange slice and cinnamon stick.
Tom & Jerry, 19th Century
The Tom & Jerry is a festive concoction of eggnog and rum and takes its name from a book titled Life in London, or The Day and Night Scenes of Jerry Hawthorn Esq. and his Elegant Friend Corinthian Tom. The book was written by boxing journalist Pierce Egan and published in 1821. In a promotional initiative for the book Pierce Egan modified an eggnog drink by adding brandy. The rest, as they say, is history. Our rendition of the Tom & Jerry is below and includes bourbon instead of brandy.
Bourbon Tom & Jerry
- 6 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 4 oz softened butter
- .5 tsp ground allspice
- .5 tsp ground cinnamon
- .5 tsp nutmeg
- .25 tsp ground cloves
- .5 tsp cream of tartar
- 6 oz sugar
Per Glass
- 2 oz Joseph Magnus Bourbon
- 4 oz hot milk
- Nutmeg, garnish
Beat 6 egg yolks in the large mixing bowl with softened butter and vanilla until smooth and opaque. Blend spices with the yolks. Beat the egg whites with cream of tartar in a separate bowl until stiff. Blend the egg whites into the yolks, followed by the sugar. To serve, put 2 ounces of batter into a mug and add the hot milk and then bourbon. Stir and top with nutmeg.
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