Ways to drink warm booze (that aren't mulled wine)

Here's an unpopular opinion: a lot of mulled wine sucks. The often saccharine, lemon-loaded brew tastes too much like bad red wine loaded up with sugar and citrus. Regardless, there's no pleasure like wrapping your hands around a warm mug during the depths of winter, and sipping on something that warms your insides as much as your digits.

Traditional remedy

It could be argued that we reached hot booze perfection with the hot toddy. A warm whisky drink that wards off colds and flu and tastes delicious? It's dead-easy to make, too - stir whisky with boiling water, honey, lemon and whatever spices take your fancy (cinnamon, cloves, star anise) and sip for instant dual relief from sore throats and bad days.

But why stop there? There might not be any point in warm champagne (blerg), but plenty of other tipples take nicely to a bit of heat treatment.

The lighter side

Gin, for instance, makes a brilliant bedfellow to tea. The key is matching the delicate aromatics to whatever you plan on brewing, and you've reached peak British-ness.

Philip Moore, master distiller for Distillery Botanica, crafts his gin with florals such as orange blossom and jasmine, and so turns to Chinese tea to match the flavours. Skip the darjeeling tea, which has a "superb nose" but is too astringent.

"I use Keemun, a Chinese black tea, which is very soft with little astringency. The texture is thick and viscous, lovely and rich," he said.

He makes a cup and once brewed, adds in elderflower cordial, gin and lemon zest for a light, floral drink that he takes a pre-dinner cocktail.

"It's quite moreish and with all the bits and pieces, it doesn't taste too alcoholic, so you have to be quite careful. Two cups and you've already had two standard drinks."

Moore is so taken with the combination he's developing a special tea-based gin to launch later in the year.

"I've distilled the zest of orange to combine with the tea - I got the idea from a Leonard Cohen song, Suzanne."

And so the song goes; 'and she feeds you tea and oranges that come all the way from China'.

"In this case, the oranges come from my back garden, but the tea does come from China," he says.

Rich and warming

Hot chocolate is another beverage begging for alcoholic intervention. Take it to an adults-only level with liqueur or schnapps (peppermint, caramel and vanilla are pretty obvious choices, ditto Kahlua and Frangelico), or go full hipster with Fireball cinnamon whisky. It's daggy as all hell, but hot milk stirred with melted dark chocolate, Malibu coconut rum and Bounty crumbled on top is also a winner. Espresso martini fans can just switch out the ice for a hot espresso shot and gently warmed vodka and coffee liqueur.

Refined and robust

John Toubia, bars manager of the Intercontinental Sydney, offers a more refined suggestion. He takes Glenmorangie 10-year-old whisky and simmers it with a super spicy ginger beer, lime and cloves for warmed up twisted version of the classic mule.

"I really wanted to take a ginger beer-based drink and turn it on its head; everyone is used to a cold drink with loads of ice, but this is a nice hot one, made in a similar concept to having warm cider."

He shares the recipe for his Black and Gold elix below.

If you are set on the mulled wine (it's a classic for a reason), Toubia calls Swedish glogg "one of the best styles in the world".

"It's different because it uses rum and sultanas in the mix, along with a larger mix of spices, so you end up with a more complex style of mulled wine," he said.

"It's not typical at all, but I personally like the residual sweetness and flavour that you get, especially if you let it sit for a few days. It takes mulled wine to the next level."

Philip Moore's tea and gin

120ml brewed Chinese Keemun black tea

30ml Distillery Botanica gin

10ml elderflower cordial

25ml strip of lemon zest, pith removed

Allow the tea to brew for four minutes (any longer and it will become too tannic) and strain. Add in the gin, cordial and garnish and allow to sit until tea reaches a nice drinking temperature. Serve in a teapot. Serves one.

John Toubia's Black and Gold Elix

120ml Glenmorangie 10-year-old whisky

30ml creme de cassis (French black currant liqueur)

2 dashes Angostura bitters

2 lime wedges, studded with cloves

2 cinnamon quills

2 star anise

300ml ginger beer (a good spicy brand such as Parkers Organic)

Glassware: 2 vintage tea cups and saucers (pre-warmed with hot water)

In a small saucepan, simmer all ingredients on low heat for seven minutes. When ready, place one lime wedge, cinnamon quill, one star anise from the saucepan into each tea cup. Pour the hot mixture on top and serve immediately.

John Toubia's Glogg

750ml tawny port (no need to go big; use the cheap stuff)

750ml white rum

3 cardamon pods

1 cinnamon stick

4 cloves

Peel of one orange

¼ cup white sugar

200g dark raisins

Combine and simmer for around 15 minutes. Serve warm right away, or keep in the fridge and reheat as needed. The mix gets better with time.