Winter is coming. If you're looking for a delicious way to stay warm this winter, why not try whiskey? These are our four favorite warm whiskey drinks that we'll be sippin' all winter long.
Bourbon Butterscotch Latte
When I, a love of bourbon, butterscotch, and lattes, first read the name of this cocktail, I nearly fainted. Here's how to get to this tasty, tasty heaven:
8 oz. of the strong coffee of your choosing
1 oz. bourbon (I used a teensy bit more because c'mon)
1 oz. of butterscotch syrup
a dash of heavy whipping cream
Brew your coffee, then add the bourbon, then the syrup. You can whip the cream if you want, but honestly, I just threw it in and I have literally no regrets.
Garnish with a tiny donut if it's breakfast time.
Spiked Hot Cocoa
This one is pretty straightforward. You make the cocoa. You add the booze. You dance on the tables. But you actually want to be careful-- if you make your hot cocoa with milk (and you should, unless you're lactose intolerant or vegan), you don't want that milk to curdle when you throw the booze in. Here's how to avoid it:
1/3 cup cocoa powder
3 1/2 cups milk
6 oz. whiskey (go for a non-smokey flavor)
3/4 cups of sugar
a pinch of salt
Add the dry ingredients and the milk together in a saucepan over the shove, but don't boil it! Once it's nicely hot and mixed, remove it and add the whiskey. Then, fill that sucker up with whipped cream and ascend to God status among your friends.
The Seaside Toddy
Not everyone wants to load up on cream and sugar. For those of you with more refined palettes, consider this alternative to the hot toddy from
WineMag.com, which I tried and loved.
2 oz. of Islay Scotch whiskey
3/4 oz. of cranberry juice
4 and 1/2 oz. of hot water
Rosemary or juniper sprig for garnish
Lemon zest
1/2 cup of honey
2 Earl Gray tea bags
First, take that half cup of water and combine it with the honey and the teabags. Let it steep for a couple minutes, then remove the tea bags. Now, combine with the cranberry juice, the scotch, the rest of the hot water, and the various garnishes. Congratulations, you have transported yourself to a cold winter day in Scotland, but you will feel so, so, so warm on the inside.
Classic Eggnog
There comes a time in everyone's life when they have to learn to make eggnog. Don't wait for your Weird Uncle Jerry to teach you-- do it on your own.
6 egg yolks
2 cups of milk
1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
1/3 cup of bourbon or whiskey of your choosing
1/2 cup of sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract (or fresh vanilla beans, if you have them handy)
1 cup of heavy cream
Whisk the egg yolks with the sugar and set aside. Put the milk, spices, and vanilla in a saucepan and bring to a gentle boil. Then slowly, ever slowly, add the hot milk mix to the eggs. You will really want to take your time with this, and make sure you use a whisk.
Once it's all added together, throw it back into the saucepan and put it over a medium heat but be careful not to let it boil. Wait until it gets somewhat thick-- you can test this by dipping a spoon and seeing how long it stays on the spoon. Once it's thick enough, remove it from heat and add the heavy cream and the whiskey or bourbon. Mix well and throw it all in the fridge until you're ready to serve.
Once you've mixed up your warm drink, come and join Nick Offerman by the fire:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LS-ErOKpO4E
