Hot Toddy (scotch)
Build; Warm up ∙ 4 min ∙ 13.5% ABV ∙
The Hot Toddy (Scotch) is a warm cocktail of Scotch whisky, lemon juice, honey and sugar syrup, cloves, and boiling water, built right in a preheated glass. Steam curls off the surface as the first sip warms the throat, honeyed sweetness melting into a bright citrus edge and a faint spiced bite from the cloves.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-heat a toddy glass
- Pour all ingredients: Blended Scotch whisky 45 mlLemon juice 10 mlHoney syrup 10 mlSugar syrup 5 mlCloves 3 pcsBoiling water 60 ml into the prewarmed glass
- Garnish with a lemon wheel on the rim and a cinnamon stick in the glass
Tips
- Use freshly boiled water just off the boil so the honey syrup and cloves bloom fully without diluting too fast.
- Stir briefly after pouring to dissolve the honey and sugar syrups evenly before the cloves settle to the bottom.
- Add the cloves loose rather than in a sachet so their oils infuse directly into the hot liquid as it sits.
History
Hot Toddy (scotch) is simply the classic Hot Toddy built with Scotch whisky as its base spirit rather than another liquor, and it has no separate creation story of its own; several sources treat "hot scotch" as the drink's earliest American name and its likeliest original spirit, since it crossed into the United States in the 1880s already known by that title.
The Hot Toddy itself traces to the word "toddy," which entered English from Hindi in British-controlled India in the 1610s as a term for a drink of fermented palm sap; by the mid-18th century the word had shifted to describe a hot mixture of liquor, sugar, and water, and the drink is often said to have been developed in Scotland in the 1700s, though sources differ on whether its true roots lie in colonial India or in Scotland, and other accounts credit the 19th-century Scottish physician Robert Bentley Todd with popularizing a spiced, sweetened version as a remedy. The version made with Scotch whisky is generally considered the drink closest to its Scottish or "hot scotch" naming, but no distinct inventor, bar, or date is documented for it beyond the parent Hot Toddy's own disputed history.
FAQ
Is Scotch good for a hot toddy?
Yes, blended Scotch whisky works well in a hot toddy, giving it a mellow, slightly smoky backbone that stands up to honey, lemon, and clove without overpowering them. This build uses a blended Scotch specifically for that balance, rather than a heavily peated single malt, which can dominate the other ingredients.
How do you make a Scotch hot toddy?
Preheat a toddy glass, then pour in blended Scotch whisky, fresh lemon juice, honey syrup, sugar syrup, and cloves, topping with boiling water directly in the glass. Finish with a lemon wheel on the rim and a cinnamon stick in the glass, and let it sit briefly so the cloves infuse before drinking.
What is the ratio of water to whiskey in a hot toddy?
In this build, boiling water is roughly a third more than the Scotch by volume, giving a drink that is warm and diluted rather than a strong neat pour. The whisky still leads, with honey syrup, sugar syrup, and lemon juice filling out the rest of the glass.
What whiskey makes the best hot toddy?
A blended Scotch whisky works best, since its rounder, lighter profile blends smoothly with the honey and lemon rather than fighting them like a peatier malt would.
