Hot Toddy with Echinacea, Whisky and Clove (with Mocktail Variant)
A hot toddy built on a strong echinacea, ginger, lemon and rosehip infusion with whisky, fresh lemon, raw honey and a clove-studded lemon peel—plus an alcohol-free version made with maple syrup.
The hot toddy is one of the oldest cold-weather cocktails: hot water, whisky, honey and lemon, served steaming in a mug. Swapping in a strong immunity blend tea for the plain hot water gives it a spiced, citrusy backbone of ginger, echinacea and rosehip.
Use a peated or lightly smoky whisky—the smoke amplifies the warming ginger in the blend and makes the toddy feel even cozier. A standard Scotch or Irish whisky also works perfectly if you prefer something less assertive.
Stud a strip of lemon peel with 3–4 whole cloves and drop it in the mug as a garnish. The clove oils slowly infuse into the hot drink, adding a sweet, woody spice that pairs naturally with the ginger in the blend.
For a mocktail version, replace the whisky with 30 ml of pure maple syrup, an extra splash of lemon, and a knob of fresh grated ginger. You get all the warmth and spice of the toddy without the alcohol, which makes it the version to pour any night of the week.
Ingredients
- 180 ml strong hot immunity blend tea (echinacea + ginger + lemon + rosehip)
- 45 ml whisky (Scotch, Irish, or lightly peated)
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1 tbsp raw honey
- 1 strip lemon peel studded with 3–4 whole cloves
- 1 cinnamon stick for stirring
- Pinch of grated nutmeg
How to make it
- 1Brew the immunity blend strong: use 2 tea bags or 2 tbsp loose blend in 200 ml hot water, steeped 8 minutes. Strain into a heatproof mug.
- 2While hot, stir in honey until dissolved.
- 3Add whisky and fresh lemon juice. Stir with the cinnamon stick.
- 4Drop in the clove-studded lemon peel and dust the surface with a pinch of grated nutmeg.
- 5Mocktail variant: skip the whisky. Replace with 30 ml maple syrup, an extra squeeze of lemon, and 1 tsp fresh grated ginger stirred in.
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