Classic Hot Toddy Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is a hot toddy made of? ›

Hot toddy is a warming drink combining water, whiskey, honey and lemon juice. It is often drunken as a nightcap and traditionally taken as a remedy to help ease the symptoms of colds and flu.

A hot toddy, also known as hot whiskey in Ireland, and occasionally called southern cough syrup within the Southern United States, is typically a mixed drink made of liquor and water with honey (or in some recipes, sugar), lemon, herbs (such as tea) and spices, and served hot.

Best consumed in small doses and infrequently, Hot Toddies can only be served as as medicine to those 21 and over, should not replace a medical professional's advice, and are best followed by a tall glass of water, some herbal tea, and plenty of rest and TLC.

Whiskey is a general term for an alcoholic liquor made from fermented mashed grains. Bourbon is the term for a whiskey made from a grain mixture that is at least 51% corn. Bourbon was traditionally made in Bourbon County, Kentucky, and most bourbon is still produced in the state of Kentucky.

The ingredients in a hot toddy have been shown to have cough-suppressing properties. Alcohol isn't needed in the recipe to experience these benefits. Consuming warm water, lemon, and honey is the key to symptom relief. Additional items can be added to taste, such as tea, clove, and ginger.

With the goal of consuming the alcohol, any evaporated alcohol is a small affront to the holiday season. But fear not, hot cider, hot toddy, and mulled wine lovers: Around 85 percent of your beloved alcohol will survive the heating process.

Adding spices, such as ginger, to a hot toddy may also have benefits. There is, however, no evidence to suggest that alcohol can help with the symptoms. Doctors often recommend that people avoid drinking alcohol when they have a cold or flu.

"Hot toddies, as the name implies, are served hot. Heat does wonders for someone when sick. A hot beverage can soothe the throat and can provide someone who has shaking (with) chills the feeling and comfort of a warm hug," Ascher said. The heat also helps to break down and thin out mucus to help clear it from the body.

Spirits combined with hot water (or herbal tea) honey and lemon is a beverage that helps clear up your cold symptoms and makes you feel toasty and cozy. According to folklore, by the time you finish the drink you will be breathing better, and the alcohol will start to make you drowsy so you can rest easy.

So, stick to one, and you should be good to go. If you're feeling the aches and pains associated with a cold, Left Bank Melbourne has created a Hot toddy recipe for you to make at home!

Is Jim Beam good for a hot toddy? ›

From sweet honey to spicy cinnamon and bitters to bourbon, Jim Beam Hot Toddy offers the full flavor of a professionally made hot toddy in one, ready-to-serve bottle. No mixing or special ingredients needed. Jim Beam Hot Toddy is the perfect, pre-mixed hot toddy co*cktail. Just pour, warm and serve.

And it turns out that the core ingredients in a Hot Toddy — whiskey, hot water, honey, and lemon — do pretty much the same thing. A great decongestant, the alcohol in whiskey dilates the blood vessels, making it easier for your mucus membranes to deal with the infection.

Specifically, Crown Royal is a Canadian whisky, and even though this technically uses a bourbon mashbill (64% corn, 31.5% rye, 4.5% malted barley), bourbon can only be made in America. Though the TTB originally approved the label, they reversed their decision and forced the brand to stop using the name 'Bourbon Mash'.

The Hot Toddy recipe is one of pure comfort: sweet honey, zingy ginger and exotic spices melt together when topped with hot water, with Chivas XV providing a warming kick. Perfect for warming up and winding down.