Simple Gin Cocktails for a Cosy Winter

With the weather outside frightful what a better time to make yourself warm and merry with a simple winter gin cocktail? Thanks to a distinct blend of juniper and zesty spices, Exeter Gin is equally at home in a cosy winter cocktail as it is in a refreshing summer drink. We’ve shared our favourite simple Gin cocktails for a cosy winter below;

Gin-Fuelled Hot Chocolate

In this recipe we are going to be showing you how to make a gin-fuelled hot chocolate from scratch, however, if you’re having a lazy day this also works just by substituting it for your favourite instant hot chocolate instead.

Ingredients:

25ml Exeter Gin
25g Dark Chocolate
150ml Semi-Skimmed Milk
10g Caster Sugar
Vanilla Extract
Garnish with Whipped Cream and Marshmallows

Method:

1. Before you begin, chop your dark chocolate into fine pieces.
2. On a low heat, melt your chocolate and pour your semi-skimmed milk over the melted chocolate, slowly stirring the two together. The ingredients above are suitable for one hot chocolate, but we would actually recommend doubling, tripling or quadrupling the ingredients to make this process easier.
3. Before you hot chocolate reaches boiling point, whisk in your vanilla extract and caster sugar. If you don’t like using caster sugar, honey will work a treat as well.
4. Add your Exeter Gin to the mixture, stirring gently.
5. Pour your hot chocolate into your favourite mugs and then top them with some of your favourite things. We would recommend some whipped cream and marshmallows.

Winter Gin Toddy

In this recipe, we’re going to be sprucing up an old classic in the Hot Toddy. Dating back to 1786, this drink is a mixture of alcoholic liquor with hot water, sugar, and spices. Normally made with whiskey, our recipe substitutes this with gin and we think it is an extremely welcome change.

Ingredients:

37.5ml Exeter Gin
18.75ml Lemon Juice
1 teaspoon Sugar
50ml Hot Water
Garnish with a Cinnamon Stick

Method:

1. Grab any glass of your choice, preferably a toddy glass.
2. Add all the ingredients to the glass and give it a stir until the all sugar has dissolved, then garnish with a cinnamon stick and a slice of lemon, enjoy!

Gin and Ginger Negroni

In this recipe you will want to mix all of the ingredients below (all equal parts) in a glass of your choice. Then watch the room come alive with the smell of Christmas that’s bound to attract a few curious visitors.

Ingredients:

37.5ml Exeter Gin
37.5ml Aperol
37.5ml Ginger wine
Orange peel

Method:

1. Build all ingredients in a rocks glass over ice, stir a few times and garnish with an orange twist.

Hot Spiced Gin & Apple Punch
(Serves 4)

This recipe is the perfect addition to the Christmas table. Easy to drink and absolutely delicious, this simple punch will be a treat for you, your family and your friends to enjoy over Christmas, (we don’t blame if you don’t want to share).

Ingredients:

200ml Exeter Gin
800ml Unsweetened Apple Juice
50g Demerara Sugar (brown sugar)
37.5ml
1 Cinnamon Stick
A Sprinkle of Cloves
½ Grated Nutmeg

Method:

1. Add all the ingredients except the gin into a saucepan and heat gently for five minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Remove from the heat, pour in the gin and add 37.5ml of fresh orange or lemon juice. Strain into glass mugs and garnish with a fresh slice of apple, orange and a star anise and/or cinnamon stick to serve.

Hot Gin Skin

This recipe is guaranteed to keep you warm and cosy on a cold winter’s night. Once you’ve made this delightful drink, go and grab a blanket, curl up on the sofa and watch some classic Christmas films, Love Actually anyone?

Ingredients:

1 Spoonful of Honey
50ml Exeter Gin
3 Dried Cloves
15ml Lemon Juice
1 lemon slice
1 cinnamon stick

Method:

1. Warm a glass.
2. Add a spoonful of honey, as well as your gin, cloves, and juice.
3. Top with boiling water and stir until the honey has dissolved.
4. Garnish with lemon slice and cinnamon stick.