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Cocktail History
The Chartreuse Toddy is a hot cocktail created by the editors of PUNCH and included in their book Winter Drinks: 70 Essential Cold-Weather Cocktails. The recipe takes notes from the classic hot toddy template and adds creative flair with the combination of Cognac and Green Chartreuse, a pairing that creates a rich, herbal aroma and flavor that enhance the drink’s warming qualities tenfold.
Cocktail Ingredients
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:
Cognac: This is one of the base spirits. It’s a type of brandy made from distilled white wine in Cognac, France. We used Courvoisier VSOP Cognac because it has a rich mouthfeel and a delightful brandy spice with notes of peach, almond, and cinnamon. For a low-proof version of this drink, try Escape Mocktails Non-Alcoholic Cognac Alternative in place of the brandy.
Green Chartreuse: This liqueur adds its unique sweet, spicy, and smooth flavor and distinctly herbal finish with notes of mint, sage, gentian, apple, and vanilla.
Lemon Juice: This adds sour citrus flavors for balance. We prefer to use fresh citrus juice because it’s less bitter than the bottled stuff and tastes better.
Honey Syrup: This is a sweetener made with honey and water. We made ours at home using Alex’s simple recipe.
Star Anise: This is the garnish. It adds a touch more spice and fragrance to the drink. We buy them in bulk section at our local grocery store.
Tasting Notes
The Chartreuse Toddy features effervescent aromas of anise and the unique herbal blend of Chartreuse, and its taste combines the oaky warmth of brandy with the unmistakable herbaceousness of Chartreuse, both of which are balanced with some citrus and sweet honey.
Our Opinion of This Cocktail Recipe: While our opinions of the “classic” hot toddy definitely differ, we were on the same page here and liked this unique drink a lot. If you’ve never tried it, add it to your seasonal rotation before spring arrives and hot drinks come off the menu.
Which of our palates is yours most like?
Find out if your palate is most similar to Alex’s or Kendall’s by answering five questions.
Which of our palates is yours most like?
Find out if your palate is most similar to Alex’s or Kendall’s by answering five questions.
Alex’s Take: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
“This drink was fascinatingly delicious. As a lover of classic toddys (single malt, lemon wedge, and hot water), this one was very distinct with its throat-warming notes of brandy, its nostril-cleansing aromas and flavors of Chartreuse, and its tasty balance of lemon and honey. This is definitely one for the books on a cold night, and as the editors of Punch say, it’s very reminiscent of France itself.”—
Kendall’s Take: ⭐⭐⭐
“Of all the hot toddies we’ve tried so far, this one might just be my favorite. It doesn’t hurt that our tasting happened in the dead of winter here in Wisconsin either. This recipe is just so warm and soothing—perfect for a night at the cabin when the snow is coming down outside and you’re tucked under a heated blanket. If I were you, I would add the Chartreuse Toddy to my winter cocktail rotation pronto.”
Recipe
This cocktail recipe was adapted from Winter Drinks: 70 Essential Cold-Weather Cocktails by the editors of PUNCH.
Add water to a saucepan.
Cook over low heat for 3-4 minutes until warmed through.
Add brandy, Green Chartreuse, lemon juice, and honey syrup to a mug and stir for 5-10 seconds.
Pour hot water into mug and stir for 5-10 more seconds.
Garnish with star anise.
Ingredients
Directions
Add water to a saucepan.
Cook over low heat for 3-4 minutes until warmed through.
Add brandy, Green Chartreuse, lemon juice, and honey syrup to a mug and stir for 5-10 seconds.
Pour hot water into mug and stir for 5-10 more seconds.
Garnish with star anise.
Make It a Mocktail: Use Escape Mocktails Non-Alcoholic Cognac Alternative in place of the brandy to try a low-proof version of this drink.
Tools & Glassware We Recommend
More Hot Cocktails
If you like this hot cocktail recipe, here are a few others we’ve tried that you may enjoy:
Mocha Rum Toddy: A rum cocktail made with coffee, dark crème de cacao, simple syrup, whipped cream, and cocoa powder
Banana Buttered Rum: A dark rum cocktail made with hot water, banana butter, star anise, and a cinnamon stick
Pumpkin Cider: An apple brandy and rum cocktail made with apple cider, pumpkin cubes, butter, sugar, whole cloves, star anise, cinnamon sticks, and grated nutmeg
Tokyo Toddy: A sake cocktail made with mandarine Napoleon liqueur, brown sugar, ginger slices, and an orange slice
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