Kevin Sintumuang over at GQ wrote a great article on winterizing your bar. He makes an excellent point in his intro, "You dress and eat seasonally, so why not drink seasonally, too? For colder days, what you need are drinks with depth and complexity, ones that pack a punch and warm you up but with a subtlety that won’t leave your throat on fire" and then goes on to recommend five fantastic liquors that put you well on your way to better winter drinks. He’s inspired me to compile my own list of winter warmers to help you stay nice and toasty through the cold weather months. Here they are:

1. Hot Toddy
A toasty classic!

• 1 oz brandy or whiskey
• 1 tbsp honey
• ¼ lemon
• 1 cup hot water
• 1 tea bag

Coat the bottom of a mug with honey and then add the liquor and the juice of the lemon quarter. On the side, heat water in a teakettle and add the tea bag to make hot tea. Pour the steaming tea into the glass and stir!

2. Hot Buttered Rum
A spicy, sweet, cozy cocktail you’ll love to cuddle up with. The easiest way to make it is combine Hot Buttered Rum Mix with 2 oz of your favorite dark rum and boiling water.

3. Bloody Mary
Sure, it’s made with vodka but the hot pepper sauce and spices give it enough oomph to warm you up. For a classic flavor we recommend using Zing Zang’s world famous Bloody Mary Mix but if you really want to kick up the heat, nothing beats Demitri’s Chilies & Peppers Bloody Mary Seasoning Mix.

4. Emerald

• 2 oz Irish whiskey
• 1 oz Italian vermouth
• 1 dash orange bitters

This delightfully smooth and mellow drink is served cold but it’s sure to warm you right up. Stir well with cracked ice then strain into a chilled cocktail glass, settle in and enjoy.

5. Cocoa Raspberry Heaven
This one was aptly named. It’s full of the kind of warmth only berries and chocolate can bring.

• 1 oz plus 1 tsp raspberry liqueur (Chambord is nice)
• 1 oz white crème de cacao
• 8 oz hot chocolate
• Whipped cream
• 1 fresh raspberry (optional)

Pour the raspberry liqueur and white crème de cacao into a cappuccino mug and then add already mixed hot chocolate and stir. Top with a dollop of whipped cream, drizzle an extra teaspoon of Chambord on top and finish it off with a fresh raspberry.

TAGS [ DRINK RECIPES | COCKTAIL RECIPES | WINTER COCKTAILS | WINTER DRINKS | HOT COCKTAILS ]