This year, don’t turn down your beloved G&Ts or Negronis – just serve them on the steamy side. Here are five hot gin drinks to keep you cosy in the interim between Christmas and the New Year.
A crackling fireplace, twinkling candles and a steaming mug of gin: there’s much to look forward to this celebratory season. Especially when you ascend to the roof terrace at the Ham Yard Hotel for Zestival. Taking place from November 12 to December 5, this delicious winter event invites you to sip your way through a menu of cocktails especially created to add a ray of warmth to a cold winter’s evening.
Meanwhile, our guide to seasonal sipping for home bartenders features five of our favourite hot gin drinks, from spice-laden Hot Mulled Sloe Gin to a toasty cousin of the Espresso Martini. They’ll warm you from the inside out (and offer no shortage of festive cheer).
HOT NEGRONI
The bracing punch of a Negroni pairs perfectly with bright red berry tea in this warming serve.
- 25ml Sipsmith London Dry Gin
- 25ml Campari
- 25ml sweet vermouth
- Red berry tea
- Dehydrated orange or fresh orange slice, to garnish
Pour all ingredients into a mug and stir. Top with hot red berry tea and garnish with a dehydrated orange or a fresh orange slice.
HOT G&T
G&Ts aren’t just for the summer months, and this toasty version is guaranteed to keep you cosy all winter long.
- 50ml Sipsmith London Dry Gin
- 20ml Jack Rudy Tonic Syrup
- 10ml sugar syrup
- Boiling water
- Orange twist, to garnish
Combine the first three ingredients in a mug or heatproof glass and stir well. Top up with boiling water and garnish with an orange twist.
It’s easy to make a simple sugar syrup, but to help you master the technique – and make a range of flavourful syrups – we’ve put together a helpful guide.
HOT MULLED SLOE GIN
Making Christmas drinks for friends and family? Hot Mulled Sloe Gin is simple to batch and is a seasonal crowd-pleaser.
- Cloudy apple juice
- Assorted spices (cinnamon sticks, star anise, cloves, and cardamom pods)
- 1 vanilla pod, sliced down the middle
- 50ml Sipsmith Sloe Gin (per serving)
- 1 cinnamon stick (per serving), to garnish
- Half an orange slice (per serving), to garnish
To make your mulled mixture, add a generous amount of cloudy apple juice, the assorted spices and the vanilla pod to a saucepan, and heat until just before boiling.
Ladle into your mugs and add the sloe gin to each. Garnish with a cinnamon stick and half an orange slice.
HOT APPLE V.J.O.P.
Another mulled option, our Hot Apple V.J.O.P. adds up to one extra-warming serve – it’s the overproof gin that you have to thank.
- Cloudy apple juice
- Assorted spices (cinnamon sticks, star anise, cloves, and cardamom pods)
- 1 vanilla pod, sliced down the middle
- 50ml Sipsmith V.J.O.P. Gin (per serving)
- 1 cinnamon stick (per serving), to garnish
- Half an orange slice (per serving), to garnish
To make this hot gin drink, add a generous amount of cloudy apple juice, the assorted spices and the vanilla pod to a saucepan, and heat until just before boiling.
Ladle into your mugs and add the V.J.O.P. Gin to each. Garnish with a cinnamon stick and half an orange slice.
HOT PHARMACEUTICAL
Need a boost during the Christmas festivities? With a dose of fresh espresso, coffee liqueur and maple syrup, this delectable cocktail is sure to warm up and revitalise.
- 50ml Sipsmith London Dry Gin
- 20ml maple syrup
- 20ml coffee liqueur (such as FAIR Café)
- 60ml fresh espresso
- Fresh cream
- 3 coffee beans, to garnish
Add the first four ingredients into a glass vessel you can seal. Place the vessel inside a hot water bath and leave until it has warmed to 70ºC. Remove and pour into a coupette. Float lightly whipped fresh cream on top and garnish with the coffee beans.
We think coffee and gin cocktails go together, which is why we’ve come up with delicious serves in honour of the third release of our limited-edition Sipping Series – Sipspresso Coffee Gin – a wonderfully rich and smooth spiced twist on our London Dry Gin. Try our English Coffee crafted with Sipspresso here.