It’s mid-January and it’s coooold outside. You’re feeling cuddly in your chunkiest sweater, gripping that witty oversized mug from the white elephant gift exchange with both hands, and channeling some serious hygge vibes. Suddenly the urge for a cocktail strikes you—perfectly balanced, boozy, bitter, sweet—because there’s really only so much tea. “I’ll have an old fashioned, or a manhattan. A negroni? No, a boulevardier!” Then it hits you, it’s too cold for an ice cold cocktail. CONUNDRUM!!! Enter the hot mulled … blah blah blah. 

I must have read at least half a dozen articles that start with the same scenario, and I’m not here to add to the cliché. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve been the person in that anecdote, but no one needs to be convinced of the virtues of hot spiced drinks; they are delicious! Anyone who disagrees is welcome to enjoy their tea for winter happy hour. Mulled wine, glühwein, glögg, mulled cider, wassail, spiked chai, hot toddy, mulled whiskey (yes), you name it; put one in my hand any day, and I’m a happy (cozy) camper. 

No, this is not a lesson in why you should try hot cocktails. This is your wake-up call for why the Mulled Sazerac is specifically the hot, mulled, boozy drink that will get you through this winter, and the next, and the next. 

Why This Recipe Works

Gentle Heat

Bringing the sazerac to a bare simmer, partially covered, minimizes the loss of any alcohol while allowing you to monitor the heating process. Once simmering, immediately covering the sazerac and turning the heat to low, minimizes the loss of any alcohol. Turning off the heat for the last 15 minutes promotes flavor infusion, and minimizes the loss of any alcohol.  In case it wasn’t clear, the goal is to lose no alcohol.

Perfect Spice Blend

The spices and ratios are carefully calibrated to create a cocktail that is harmonious and not harsh. Cinnamon is a mulling must; star anise complements the absinthe beautifully; cardamom brings an aromatic lightness; coriander for a subtle citrus profile; and cloves for a little edgy backbone. Toasting the spices primes them to release their flavorful oils and adds a little roasted flavor. A little goes a long way when it comes to whole spices—any more and the flavors quickly become harsh. That’s why I conducted 8 recipe tests to guarantee that the spices are perfectly balanced for the flavors and volume of this recipe—not just because I wanted to continue drinking mulled sazeracs…

A Different Cocktail Recipe

The base cocktail isn’t just any sazerac—it’s made for mulling. Using a split base of rye and bourbon lends both the traditional, slightly spicy flavors of rye that complement the mulling spices; and the sweeter, vanilla notes of bourbon, perfect for any winter warmer. Substituting a heavy hand of maple syrup for the sugar, both rounds out the wintery flavor profile, and mellows any potential harshness from the warm spirits. 

The Process

You’re in luck, the hardest part of preparing the Mulled Sazerac is waiting the 30 minutes while the cocktail is on the stove. With only 5 minutes of active time, there’s plenty of time to pick out your fuzziest blanket, and perfect glassware, for maximum coziness. 

First, mix the liquid ingredients together. You may be tempted to drink the cocktail as is, but believe me, it gets even better. 

Toast the spices in a medium saucepan. Toasting, primes the spices to release their flavor and aroma in the cocktail; mellows the harsh raw spice flavor; and adds a warm, toasted note to the cocktail. Starting the spices in a cold pan helps them to heat up more evenly, and avoid burning. 

Quickly add the liquid ingredients to the saucepan. The liquid will steam and sputter as it hits the hot saucepan; adding it quickly ensures that the initial portion does not get too hot, and that once again only the bare minimum amount of alcohol is lost. Add the orange wheel and lemon peel. 

Bring the cocktail to a bare simmer over medium heat, partially covered. Cover the saucepan, and turn the heat to the lowest setting for 15 minutes. Remove the pan from heat and keep covered for another 15 minutes. 

Strain the Mulled Sazerac, and gently press on the solids to extract all of your liquid gold. Serve the Mulled Sazerac in that perfect glassware that you picked out. Express the oil from the lemon peel garnish over your drink. Drop the lemon peel in your glass, and get cozy.

A Brief History of Mulled Drinks

Mulled wine, and wassail, and glögg, oh my! Mulled wine is undoubtedly the most popular mulled beverage, with versions spanning dozens of countries, each with their own regional touch.

With so many versions of mulled wine, is there truly an original? Well, yes. The geniuses behind the first mulled wine were the ancient Greeks, followed closely by the Romans. These first iterations aimed to improve the flavor of old or lesser-quality wine—a concept that we still apply to this day. 

In Rome, the drink was called Conditum Paradoxum, which roughly translates to “surprise spiced wine” (it’s nice to know that our ancient, mulled wine–drinking counterparts had a sense of humor). Still, it was a very different drink than we know today—cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg had yet to make an appearance in Europe. The first documented recipe was in a 5th century Roman cookbook attributed to Apicius, which calls for the addition of honey, pepper, laurel, saffron, and dates. 

In the middle ages, the popularity of mulled wine grew due to the belief that the herbs and spices have powerful healing properties—a lovely excuse, and certainly a better remedy than leeches. Imbibers of the time used the terms spiced wine, or hippocras, attributing the drink to the famous Greek physician who likely had nothing to do with it. Regional variations began to crop up across Europe, and the good innovators of the bar began to mull ale, mead, and cider. More recipes continued to appear, now containing a more contemporary blend of spices. And finally, in 1618 Merriam-Webster added “mull” to the dictionary: “to heat, sweeten, and flavor (a beverage, such as wine or cider) with spices.” 

Mulled wine as we know it today, sweet, spiced, often fortified, available to the masses, and a permanent fixture of the winter holidays, took root in Victorian England, in no small part due to the East India Trading Company, and spread like wildfire through every European Christmas market. And the rest is history. 

So how did we get to a mulled sazerac? Well, it’s human nature to riff on successful concepts, so as mulled wine became a global sensation, some crazy folks started mulling just about anything. I can’t take credit for experimenting with mulling a full-proofed drink. I first came across the concept when a friend described their family’s holiday tradition of mulled whisky. Just the words “mulled whisky” had me begging for the recipe. I don’t know if this family came up with the idea themselves, or if they are part of a larger legacy of mulling-pioneers, but I can vouch for its deliciousness. With this revelation, I realized; if you can mull whisky, there’s no reason you can’t mull any cocktail you want (with the right flavor profile). And let me tell you, the Mulled Sazerac is perfect.

Notes

• The spice blend was developed specifically for this sazerac recipe, however if you already have a mulling spice mix that you prefer to use, you can substitute it for the whole spices in the recipe. Make sure to scale the mulling spice for a 2 cup volume of liquid. 
• The recipe makes four 4-oz portions. If you choose to pour yourself a larger portion, I won’t tell anyone—it’s that smooth. I’m also obliged to say: please drink responsibly. If you choose to double the recipe, I would increase, but not double the spices. I haven’t tested a double batch yet; more on that to come later. 
• If you have any leftovers, let the sazerac cool, covered. Transfer the cocktail to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator. To reheat, microwave for 30 seconds.

Suggested Recipes

• Crêpes with Brown Sugar and Bourbon Peaches
• Apple Oatmeal
• Caramel-Braised Plantains
• Ultimate Pork Ragu