Shaken, stirred, soul-warming: Cocktails that will keep you toasty this winter

When you think of a cocktail, what comes to mind is a medley of flavours topped with loads of ice--an indulgence many stay away from during the winters. Catering to the sensitive throats of many aficionados, mixologists around the city are whipping up some exciting warm cocktails that are ideal as the weather turns chilly. If you too are someone who is fond of cocktails, and are looking for flavoursome concoctions that can be recreated at home, Mid-Day.com asked four city mixologists to share their winter favourites.

OTB Mulled Wine

"We serve this mulled wine especially during winter. This warm beverage on a cold winter evening makes for a perfect drink. A blend of the perfect amount of wine, brandy and spices this drink is a classic," shares Darshan Parmar, head of operations and bar sommelier at Out of The Blue.

Ingredients

1 red wine bottle
2 large brandy
120ml apple juice
1 tablespoon organic mono floral honey
2 oranges
2 cinnamon sticks
3 star anise
4 whole cloves
4 vegan dry berries

Method

Take a pan and dry roast spices and berries.
Pour wine, brandy, honey, and apple juice and cook on a low flame until the flavour of the spices and fruits have all been absorbed in the wine.
Garnish with vegan dry cranberries, roseberries, blueberries, strawberries, cinnamon sticks, apple slices, orange rounds or half-moons.
Serve in an Irish mug.

Cafenog

Cafenog by Aakash Singh. Pic/Ammata

"Cafenog is one of our signature winter recipes. With the arrival of winter and Christmas, we have twisted the classic 'Eggnog' with more richness and a lasting finish of coffee and sweet spice as a perfect concoction for chilly winters," says Aakash Singh, mixologist at Ammata.

Ingredients

45 ml Hennessy VS
12.5 ml Kahlua
10 ml Cinnamon and star anise elixir
1 whole Egg

Method

Bring all ingredients together in a shaker with ice.
Shake nicely and finely strain.
Serve in a stem laxinton glass.
Garnish with orange zest, edible ferns and flowers.

Emoliente

Emoliente by Sujat Ali Khan. Pic/Tori

"Emoliente is a Peruvian drink made from toasted barley and herbs. Depending on where you buy it, it may also contain flax seeds, dried horsetail herbs, alfalfa leaves, plantain leaves, chamomile, or lemongrass. It can also be sweetened with citrus, honey, and cinnamon and has many health benefits," says Sujat Ali Khan, bartender at Tori.

Ingredients

4 handfuls of toasted barley.
2 handfuls of flaxseed.
2 pinches of chamomile.
1 pinch of aniseed.
2 handfuls of horsetail herb
Juice of 2 limes
1 tablespoon maca powder
2 - 3 big cinnamon sticks
Honey to taste

Method

Boil all the ingredients together in a pan for 30 to 35 minutes until all the flavours are released.
Fine strain and allow it to cool.
Keep it aside and warm it up before serving every time.

Warm Hog

Warm Hog by Dushyant Talwar. Pic/Monika Enterprise

"With winter setting in and the sweaters fluffing all around, a nice warm cocktail is what you need to get cozy with the season and your loved ones. The most essential ingredient for a warm cocktail, I would say, is a good quality spirit. As alcohol behaves a bit aggressively at higher temperatures, a good quality spirit is what makes a warm drink more enjoyable for your nose and palate," says Dushyant Tanwar, mixologist at Monika Enterprise.

Ingredients

45ml Schwartz hog
150ml Hot Chocolate

Method

In a saucepan over medium-low heat, simmer the milk of your choice.
Heat until warm, whisking in the cocoa powder and sugar.
When the milk is warm, stir in the chocolate chips until they are completely melted, then add a dash of vanilla extract.
Mix 45ml of Schwartz hog with 150ml of hot chocolate in your favourite glass.

Also Read: Celebrate Liqueur Day with these quirky cocktails