The Best Whiskeys for a Hot Toddy, According to Bartenders

Redbreast 12-Year-Old

Derek Cram, director of bar logistics at Roma Norte in San Diego, agrees that heat amplifies our perception of key components in a cocktail, including ABV, tannins, and acidity. 

“As a result, you need to balance out hot cocktails differently than you would a cold one,” he says. 

His solution? Irish whiskey over bourbon.

“All bourbon must be aged in new American charred oak barrels, which can make the tannins and barrel flavors overly intense when heated,” says Cram. “Irish whiskey, on the other hand, is typically aged in previously used barrels, or barrels with a lighter char, giving it a softer, more toasty finish.”

Cram’s favorite Irish whiskey to use is Redbreast 12. “It’s the perfect whiskey for a Hot Toddy, full-bodied and complex with dried fruits, pleasant spice, and beautiful toasted oak. It has the finesse and restraint to still shine amidst the flavors of a Hot Toddy.”

Slane Irish Whiskey

Bryce Tomberlin, who runs The Mountaineering Club in Seattle, also favors an Irish whiskey in a Hot Toddy. “Irish whiskey is made from malted barley, so it adds a soft sweetness without being too overpowering and allows for a really nice balance of flavors in a Hot Toddy.”

Tomberlin prefers Slane Irish Whiskey. He shakes the whiskey, lemon juice, and simple syrup and tops it with very hot water. He adds a cinnamon stick and a citrus wedge for garnish — lemon for bitterness and orange for sweetness.

Great Jones Bourbon

“Great Jones Bourbon, Manhattan’s first legal whiskey distillery since Prohibition, is a solid option for a Hot Toddy,” says Alex Dominguez, head bartender at New York City’s Bar Calico. “It brings a richness and a nose of baking spices that make a Hot Toddy feel biting and soothing. The rye and barley come through and add a spicy and nutty element to the toddy,” he says.

Woodford Reserve Double Oaked Bourbon

“When it comes to a hot drink, I prefer using Woodford Reserve Double Oaked Bourbon,” says Matt Maretz, principal bartender at New York City’s Employees Only. “The rich notes of vanilla, fig, and molasses truly come alive when the drink is piping hot.”

The American bourbon shines in Maretz’s Hot Toddy recipe. “It’s simple and easy to make at home,” he says. “Start by brewing about 3 ounces of your favorite tea, I recommend chai, black peach, or Chamomile. Then, combine 2 ounces of Woodford Reserve Double Oaked Bourbon, 3/4 ounce fresh lemon juice, and 1/4 ounce honey. Give it a quick stir, then garnish with a lemon wheel studded with cloves and a sprinkle of grated cinnamon.”

Old Overholt Rye

Gabriel Gometz is head bartender at KABIN, a modern Nordic cocktail bar in New York City’s Hudson Square. He says Old Overholt, one of the country’s oldest distilleries, is “a tried-and-true, reliable whiskey, especially in an Old Fashioned.”

“Old Overholt has a perfect blend of rye spice that complements the ginger and honey,” says Gometz. “It adds a bit of familiarity, which is comforting, just like a Hot Toddy should be.”

Crown Royal Regal Apple Whisky

“Flavored whiskies, such as Crown Royal Apple or Peach, create that extra depth in flavor in a hot toddy,” says Juyoung Kang, director of beverage development at Fontainebleau Las Vegas.

“I’m obsessed with Crown Royal Apple in my Hot Toddies, especially with cinnamon, clove, star anise, and orange peels,” she says. “I make cranberry syrup to add to the cocktail, so it becomes like a cran-apple spiced Hot Toddy. It tastes just like the holidays.”

“Since Hot Toddies have citrus and spice, flavored whiskies give the drink a more fun and flavorful way to enjoy a modernized version,” says Kang. He says that they add a consistent sweetness and fruitiness that real fruit and sugar can’t offer.

2XO The Kiawah Blend Kentucky Straight Bourbon

Florida-based Gregory Genias, known professionally as BootlegGreg, prefers 2XO The Kiawah Blend, a Kentucky bourbon named after the South Carolina barrier islands. “The bold, rounded flavors, with their savory and subtly sweet undertones, reduce the need for excessive sugar,” he says. 

Genias likes the higher ABV in this whiskey. “The 104 proof opens up and releases its flavors when paired with hot water,” he says. In his version, he adds three lemon peels and a ginger tea bag.

Michter’s Bourbon

Alba Huerta, owner of Julep in Houston, likes to stick to classic bourbon in her Hot Toddy. 

“Bourbon is such a pliable and versatile spirit with which you can use so many different techniques,” she says. “If you warm it, it can be a sultry, soothing cocktail. Unlike other whiskeys, bourbon’s higher corn content brings forward natural caramel, vanilla, and a hint of oak.”

Bourbons like Michter’s, Harlem, or Bardstron have a robust character, “which holds up well in a hot cocktail, especially against a bold cinnamon tea, creating a drink that’s warming, aromatic, and perfectly suited for colder weather,” says Huerta.

Keeper’s Heart Irish + American Blend

“The whiskey I find myself using the most frequently for a Hot Toddy is Keeper’s Heart Irish and American blend,” says Tyler Newcomb, beverage director of O’Shaughnessy Distilling Co., the Minneapolis-based distillery that makes this blended whiskey. 

“The unique blend of component whiskeys adds an interesting complexity to the Toddy,” says Newcomb. “The blend contains three different component whiskeys: Irish grain, Irish pot still, and an Indiana rye. The blend gives some subtle spice from the rye component, notes of butterscotch and vanilla from the Irish grain component, and a velvety texture along with earthy notes coming from the Irish pot still component.”

When the hot water, whiskey, and sugar mix, “these flavor profiles are enhanced rather dramatically, and come together quite nicely in the drink,” says Newcomb.

Sagamore Spirit Small Batch Rye

At New York City’s Bird in Hand, Matt Amsterdam uses Sagamore Spirit Small Batch Rye in his Hot Toddies. 

“The Hot Toddy is such an [iconic] late-fall, early-winter drink, and I think the flavors of Sagamore Spirit are so incredibly well suited to that season,” says Amsterdam. “The spices, not just rye but the clove and cinnamon, pair so well with the sweetness of the honey to create a Toddy that’s not just warm and drinkable, but really interesting and unique.” 

Amsterdam adds honey syrup, hot water, and a ginger liqueur to riff off the spices.

Willet Family Estate Rye 4-Year-Old

Matt Greif, a distiller at the Distillery of Modern Art in Chamblee, Georgia, gravitates to spirit-forward drinks. “[A] Hot Toddy is the perfect winter warmer to showcase a good whiskey,” he says. “My go-to pick for this drink is going to be a spicy, overproof rye such as a Willet 4-Year. Not only is this my favorite whiskey to drink on its own, but it typically comes in over 100 proof. It’ll stand up to most anything you can mix it with.”

In a Hot Toddy, Greif finds that the spiciness from the rye helps reduce the sweetness from the honey. And even if you add lemon, clove, and cinnamon, the whiskey won’t get lost in the mix.

Old Grand-Dad Bourbon

Matt Im, head bartender at Prentice Hospitality Group, which includes Evo and The Good Table in Portland, Maine, swears by Old Grand-Dad bourbon. 

“It’s got a great sweetness to it, and a lovely texture,” he says. “When diluted, it doesn’t lose sweetness, and its malty characteristics won’t overpower the balance of the drink. I love bourbon drinks because of their strength, and I think Old Grand-Dad does such a terrific job of keeping pace. Best of all, it’s affordable and great for so many other drinks.”