Varchas Takes The Chill Out of Winter
VARCHAS TAKES THE CHILL OUT OF WINTER
You have heard the saying about whiskey; that drink will take the chill off?
The fact is that a dram or two of whiskey when you come in from ice skating, skiing, shoveling snow or ice fishing does give us the sensation of warming up because the alcohol dilates the blood vessels, causing the feeling of warming up. Also, it tastes great.
Mixing cocktails is a national pastime. And in winter, we can mix some hot whiskey cocktails for ourselves and our guests. Here are a few recipes we’ve tried that we like.
Irish Coffee
Don’t wait for St. Patrick’s Day for this heart and belly warming libation. And you don’t have to use Irish Whiskey.
Pull together the ingredients: 1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee; 1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 jigger (1.5 oz.) Varchas Whiskey; Heavy cream, slightly whipped.
Fill a footed mug, plain mug or goblet with hot, even boiled water, to preheat it. You can also microwave it for a minute or so. Pour piping hot coffee into warmed glass until it is about 3/4 full. Add the brown sugar and stir until dissolved. Blend in the Varchas. Top with the whipped heavy cream by pouring gently over back of a spoon. Serve hot and enjoy.
Spiked Hot Chocolate
Make your favorite hot chocolate recipe. Add a jigger of Varchas Whiskey, and float some mini marshmallows or some whipped cream on top as you would for a “dry” hot chocolate. Sprinkle a wee bit of cinnamon or nutmeg on top for an added spice of flavor, or some chards of chocolate, all of which are beautifully compatible with both the whiskey and the liquid chocolate.
Hot Toddy
A well-made Hot Toddy is absolute comfort in a mug. Indeed, before modern medicine evolved, the Hot Toddy was a treatment for colds.
It’s difficult to think of a better treat on a cold night or if you have a bit of congestion working in your sinuses.
This classic warm whisky drink is most commonly made with honey, lemon and spices such as cinnamon and cloves. But it’s a drink that begs for a bit of improv—like adding a dash of genuine maple syrup or bitters. We add apple cider to our Hot Toddy recipe for a sweet fruity fizz. Here’s the recipe. Combine all the ingredients in a mug. Adjust the ratio of Varchas and cider to suit your preference.
- Jigger of Varchas Whiskey or Rye
- Tablespoon of Lemon Juice
- Tablespoon of honey
- Two Jiggers of hot apple cider. Bring it to a boil or heat to an equal heat in the microwave.
- Cinnamon, grated lemon peel and a dash of cayenne pepper.
- Two or three dashes of Angostura Bitters.
