Warm Winter Cocktails

It’s the time of year where you want to warm up when the sun goes down, and there’s no better way to heat up your insides than with a toasty hot drink in your hands. Sure, beer and fire pits go hand in hand, but when it hurts to even hold the ice-cold can, you may want to rethink your approach to fireside imbibing. So, whether you’re sitting around the fire or just curled up on the couch, we’ve got a collection of 4 delicious hot cocktails to help you raise a glass to the lower temps! Maker’s Mark Chai Hot Toddy The delightful cinnamon and ginger spices in the tea blend perfectly with whiskey to make this the ultimate warming cocktail for a cozy winter night. Ingredients 3 oz. Maker’s Mark whiskey 4 oz. steeped black tea 1 oz. heavy cream Chai spices (per serving, ¼ tsp. cardamom powder, 1 slice fresh ginger, 1 cinnamon stick, 2 cloves, and star anise) Directions Pour whiskey into mug, top with heavy cream and steeped black tea. Add chai spices and stir. Hot Buttered Rum Much like spiked apple cider, hot buttered rum utilizes seasonal spices to create a warm and cozy flavor that’s perfect for the winter season. Ingredients 1 ½ oz. gold rum 1 tsp. light brown sugar ¼ tsp. minced lemon rind 3 pinches of cinnamon Pinch of ground cloves Pinch of nutmeg Boiling water to top off 1 tsp. unsalted butter Directions In a warm glass mug, add brown sugar, lemon rind, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. Pour in rum and fill the mug with boiling water. Drop in the butter and serve. Irish Coffee For coffee drinkers, the deep rich flavor of coffee and cream paired with Irish whiskey creates the ultimate winter indulgence. Ingredients 2 oz. irish whiskey 4 oz. hot coffee 1 ½ oz. cream 1 tsp. brown sugar Directions Pour the brown sugar then the coffee into a mug and stir until sugar dissolves. Add the whiskey and top with cream. Boozy Hot Chocolate Chocolate and rum are both children of the Caribbean, so they pair wonderfully well for an adult twist on a childhood favorite. Ingredients 2 cups milk 3 ½ oz. good-quality dark chocolate, bittersweet or semisweet, as preferred 1 cinnamon stick 2 tsps. honey 1 tsp. brown sugar 1 tsp. vanilla extract 2 tbsps. dark rum, or to taste Directions ​​Put the milk into a saucepan and break the chocolate into pieces and add to the milk along with a cinnamon stick, honey, and sugar and heat gently until the chocolate is melted. Add the vanilla and mix with a small hand whisk and still whisking, add a spoonful of the rum first and taste to see if you want more. Add more sugar if you want this sweeter, too. Take out the cinnamon stick and pour into 2 cappuccino or caffe latte cups.