Bartenders Tell Us The Best Spirits To Add To Your Hot Toddys For National Hot Toddy Day


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Today is National Hot Toddy Day. The special day we celebrate the magical, medicinal, boozy cure-all known as the Hot Toddy. Made with liquor (usually whiskey), hot water, lemon, and honey, this cocktail is the perfect drink for whatever ails you (or just a nice change of pace from your usual beer or wine).

Originating in Scotland and Ireland, the Hot Toddy is most often made with Scotch or Irish Whiskey, but can honestly be made with any spirit that strikes your fancy. The odds are that it will taste better with aged spirits, but if you enjoy it with vodka then good on you. The hardest part about making the drink is figuring out just what spirit to add (and still get something soothing). So we asked some of our favorite bartenders to tell us their favorite spirits to pour into to their Hot Toddys.

Check out all of their answers below:

Metaxa 5

Aaron Melendrez, co-owner at Here and Now in Los Angeles

“What is my favorite spirit to add to hot toddy? Metaxa 5. It’s unique, herbaceous, and maintains a nice little bite.”

Copper & Kings Apple Brandy

Stuart Jensen, beverage director at Brass Tacks in Denver

“We took a staff trip to Louisville, KY a few months ago and bought a barrel of Copper & Kings Apple Brandy finished in Oloroso Sherry Casks. It’s incredibly rich and robust for an apple brandy and it’s an amazing addition to a hot toddy.”

Woodford Reserve Bourbon

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Throwback…Tuesday? So yesterday marked 1 year since I started posting whiskey pictures and reviews. It all started with a flight delay and a double of Woodford Reserve at an airport bar. Today, I thought I'd have a seat, a dram, and take a look at some stats for nerds. A day late and a dollar short. Thanks for following! 278 whisk(e)y posts in 365 days 21 Mystery Mondays 19 Friday Flights 5 Travel Tuesday's 76 unique reviews of American Whisk(e)y 43 unique reviews of Scotch Whisky 15 unique reviews of Canadian Whisky 8 unique reviews of Irish Whiskey 8 unique reviews of Japanese Whisky 134 no-age-statement whisk(e)y reviews 12 reviews of 12 year old whisk(e)y reviews 7 reviews of 10 year old whisk(e)y reviews 11.14 – average age of all age stated reviews 26 – most reviewed company – Beam Suntory 1,434.05$ worth of whisk(e)y purchased 39 new 750ml bottles acquired 12 new 1 liter bottles acquired 11 new 200ml bottles acquired 1 new 1.75 liter bottle acquired 1 "unicorn" purchase 3 bottles completely finished 1 day old – youngest whisk(e)y tried 21 years old – oldest whisk(e)y tried 134.8 proof, 67.4% ABV – highest proof tried Hear, hear to another year! #WoodfordReserve #DistillersSelect #WoodfordReserveDistillersSelect #WoodfordReserveBourbon #KSBW #Kentucky #Straight #Bourbon #Whiskey #KentuckyStraight #BourbonWhiskey #KentuckyStraightBourbonWhiskey #WoodfordReserveDistillery #Versailles #VersaillesKentucky #Anniversary #HappyAnniversary #Spirit #Spirits #WhiskeyPorn #ThrowbackTuesday

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Patrick Morgan, bartender at The Parlor in Hollywood

“Whiskey is the classic hot toddy ingredient, and I personally wouldn’t stray away from it. Makers, Bulleit, Templeton, Woodford… any one of them is perfect to add in.”

Virgil Kane Ginger Bourbon

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Friday night. 🌚#virgilkanebourbon

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Mel Stewart, bartender at Bubby’s in New York City

“Virgil Kane Ginger Bourbon—it’s a softer and slightly sweeter bourbon that will allow all the flavors of the drink to be enjoyed. Plus, ginger is a great accent on a hot toddy.”

Pierre Ferrand 1840 Cognac

Sean Keipper, beverage director at Jovanina’s Broken Italian in Denver

“Cognac. If you’re using any other spirit, just take a shot and have a cup of hot tea. If you’re having people over, Pierre Ferrand 1840 is worth the money.”

Grand Marnier

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Jamie Clark, bar program manager at Pikoh in Los Angeles

“If/when I’m making a Hot Toddy it usually means I (or someone else) has the plague (or at least wants others to feel bad for me/them). Always use lemon to break up congestion, and if the chefs let me steal some cloves, they’re antimicrobial (and look oh so festive when stuck in the lemon rind). Orange goes great with both, so I like to use Grand Mariner in my hot toddies. The 80-proof cognac in Grand Marnier deals the knockout blow to illness without needing to add any more sugar.

Makers Mark Bourbon

Mike Raymond, bartender at Reserve 101 in Houston

“What is my favorite spirit to add to hot toddy? I prefer to use Makers Mark or Makers 46, I enjoy the sweeter notes of these wheated bourbons.”

Powers Gold Label Irish Whiskey

Conor Myers, bartender at Underdog Bar in New York City

“Powers Gold Label is for me the only spirit I’ll put in a Hot Toddy. Not just, because I’m a proud Irish bartender but it just has every characteristic you’d want in a drink like this. Its smooth, spicy and incredibly rich to stand up to so much water in the drink. Two spoons of brown sugar, a lemon slice studded with cloves, hot water and a good measure of Powers! Nothing beats it.”

Monkey Shoulder Scotch Whisky

Andrew Meltzer, beverage director at Noosh in San Francisco

“Monkey Shoulder Scotch whisky. This is a blended whisky made with spirits from three distinct Scotch distilleries. It’s rich and roasty flavors have just the right amount smoke, balanced by a classic biscuit-like maltiness. It is perfect on its own or in a hot toddy.”

Courvoisier Cognac

Tony Gonzales, lead bartender at District in Los Angeles

“I love to add Courvoisier Cognac. The original toddies were Brandies/Cognac, and, I feel, rightfully so. Most toddies should be a little sweet. Just what you want on a cold night.

Jameson Irish Whiskey

Josh Cameron, head bartender at Boulton & Watt in New York City

“For whatever reason, I come with the belief that a hot toddy should have Irish whiskey – preferably Jameson or Powers. I like to the let the added spices, and cold weather notes round out the taste and the Irish whiskeys are smooth enough to give room for this.”

Bacardi 8 Rum

Gary Matthews, bartender at DumBAR in Chicago

“What is my favorite spirit to add to hot toddy? I recently made a brown-buttered washed Bacardi 8 Rum that proved to be exceptionally delicious when added to a hot toddy.”

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