Sloe Gin Hot Toddy
A fruity, warming toddy built on sloe gin with a splash of London Dry, balanced with lemon and honey and spiced with cinnamon and clove.
Ingredients
- 40 ml sloe gin
- 15 ml London Dry gin
- 15 ml fresh lemon juice
- 15 ml honey
- 120 ml hot water
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 3 whole cloves
Method
- Dissolve the honey in a splash of the hot water in a heatproof mug.
- Pour in the sloe gin, London Dry gin and fresh lemon juice and stir.
- Top up with the remaining hot, not boiling, water.
- Add the cinnamon stick and cloves and leave to infuse for a couple of minutes.
- Stir once more and serve warm.
How to serve
- Glassware
- Heatproof mug
- Serve temperature
- Warm, around 60°C
- Garnish
- Cinnamon stick and lemon slice
Sloe gin is one of winter’s great pleasures, its deep berry sweetness practically made for the colder months. Warmed through with lemon, honey and a little classic London Dry gin, it becomes a toddy with real depth: plummy, spiced and gently dry all at once. The splash of dry gin is what stops it tipping into syrupy territory, lending a clean juniper edge.
Keep the water just off the boil so the fruit stays vivid and the gin does not turn sharp.
Tips
Use freshly squeezed lemon and dissolve the honey first for an even balance. Studding the cloves into a lemon slice makes them easy to fish out later. Let the spices infuse for a couple of minutes rather than longer, as cloves can quickly dominate.
If you enjoy the fruit-and-spice character here, you will likely take to a warm Hot Apple Gin as well, which leans on apple and gentle baking spice in much the same way. It makes a natural follow-on pour, and you can read more about it in our Hot Apple Gin recipe.
Variations
A strip of orange peel brightens the berry notes, while a star anise adds an aniseed warmth. For a longer drink, swap some of the hot water for warm cloudy apple juice, which echoes the orchard fruit and softens the finish.
Frequently asked questions
What is sloe gin?
Sloe gin is a sweet, deep-red liqueur made by steeping sloe berries in gin with sugar. It brings rich, plummy fruit to this warming toddy.
Why add London Dry gin as well?
A small measure of London Dry adds juniper backbone and a touch of dryness, balancing the natural sweetness of the sloe gin.
Can I leave out the honey?
Sloe gin is already sweet, so you can reduce or skip the honey. Taste as you build and let the lemon keep the drink balanced.
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