If you believe in the healing properties of certain drinks, and especially if you live in a colder climate, chances are you’ve heard of the ever-cozy Hot Toddy. A classic Hot Toddy is a warm cocktail that combines bourbon with hot water or tea, honey and fresh lemon juice. As with most cocktails, there are variations to the core recipe, sometimes including different spirits such as Rum or Brandy, sometimes including spices like cinnamon, cloves, star anise or ginger. 

A typical Hot Toddy is prepared in a mug. You combine the spirit, sweetener, lemon juice and any spices, then add hot water or hot tea over the top. You stir all the ingredients until the sweetener is well incorporated, and then add a garnish such as a lemon wedge or cinnamon stick. With all Hot Toddy variations, there is a common theme: a warm cocktail made with soothing ingredients.

Considering its soothing ingredients, the most accepted understanding of the Hot Toddy is that it was created for medicinal use. The real origin, however, is contested. According to Vinepair, some believe the Hot Toddy got its start in British-controlled India, where “taddy” was a Hindi word describing a drink made from fermented palm sap (Hines, 2021). By the late 1700’s, the word “taddy” was defined as a “beverage made of alcoholic liquor with hot water, sugar, and spices.” (Hines, 2021). It is believed that the British later introduced this beverage to the colder climates of England and Scotland, but an alternate history describes an Irish doctor by the name of “Robert Bentley Todd, who ordered his patients to drink hot brandy, cinnamon and sugar water” (Hines, 2021). 

However it started, the Hot Toddy eventually found its way to America. As Hines (2021) discovered in a local Burlington Free Press article from 1837, the Hot Toddy was referred to as a “cure-all” for those with colds. Today, you’re likely to find a Hot Toddy featured on craft cocktail menus during the cold seasons, not just for the potential medicinal properties, but for its warming qualities. 

As a distiller located in a cold northern climate, we’re no strangers to the many benefits of a Hot Toddy, and we’re happy to share a few of our favorite recipes below:

For our Hot Toddy recipes, we lean toward Bourbon or our Maple Cask Rum. Fresh lemon juice is a staple ingredient, and for a sweetener we tend to lean toward honey or a honey ginger syrup. Of course, both honey and ginger are known for its medicinal properties, so we think it's worth the effort to make a fresh syrup from home. To make your own honey ginger syrup, combine 1/2 cup of raw honey with 1 oz. of ginger (sliced or grated) and 1/2 cup of water in a pan. Bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 40-60 minutes. Strain out the ginger pieces, then enjoy. You can store the syrup for up to a few weeks.

Wishing you all good health and cozy good sips this long winter season. Cheers!

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References: Hines, N. (2021, May 7). The history of the Hot Toddy. VinePair. https://vinepair.com/articles/history-of-hot-toddy/

Written and published by Brianne Lucas on January 6, 2026.