Hot drinks for Fall: Wiki Wiki Warmer (hot cider)

Aloha folks!

While I have been focusing on spirit reviews, I have done so at the expense of the cocktails section of this blog. Today, we turn the tide with my first post in the category and it’s a doozy: the Wiki Wiki Warmer!

This is a hot cider I came up with when I wanted a quick spiced cider for a cold night. While there are many great recipes out there, many require extensive preparations with fruit, spices, and the like. If you have planned ahead, those are fantastic, but if you just want to warm up wiki wiki style, this is the cider for you. It requires virtually no fresh ingredients (usually a bad thing in cocktails, but not here) and is ready to go when you are–especially if you are a tiki drink aficionado. (Wiki wiki means quick in Hawaiian).

Ingredients:

• 5 oz apple cider (Martinelli’s)
• 3/4 oz apple brandy (Laird’s Straight )
• 3/4 oz dark rum (Appleton Extra)
• 1/4 oz falernum (Taylor’s Velvet)
• 1/4 oz allspice  dram (St. Elizabeth)
• Orange twist
• Freshly grated nutmeg

Preparation:

Heat the apple cider and add to a toddy glass. Add the brandy, rum, falernum, allspice dram, and stir. Add the orange twist and grate nutmeg on top. Serve piping hot.

What do you think of this hot cider? Have you tweaked it and made it better? Have a great hot drink you make on cold nights? Please let me know in the comments section below!

Aloha,
Josh