TL;DR: The warm down is a non-alcoholic hot toddy made with Dry Shot Spiced Vanilla Spirit, raw honey, fresh lemon, and ginger, topped with hot water. The vanilla and spice of the kava spirit deepen in heat, producing a warm, aromatic drink that takes 5 minutes to make. Noble kava's calming effect activates within 15–20 minutes. Zero alcohol, zero hangover. Serves one.
Boiling water, raw honey, a squeeze of lemon, a slice of fresh ginger, and the Spiced Vanilla Spirit. The vanilla turns warm and almost spiced-cake in the heat. The ginger adds the edge that keeps it from getting too sweet. This is the drink you make at the end of something.
The hot toddy is one of the oldest formats in the book because the format works: something warming, something sweet, something sour, something aromatic. What the Spiced Vanilla Spirit brings is a botanical depth that replaces whiskey's smokiness with vanilla and dark spice. The star anise floating on top isn't decorative — it contributes to the aroma from the first sip to the last.
Can you make a non-alcoholic hot toddy that actually feels like a toddy?
Yes, but the spirit matters. Most non-alcoholic hot drinks are just tea. What makes a toddy a toddy is the depth and warmth that a spirit provides — the thing that makes you feel like something significant is happening. Dry Shot Spiced Vanilla Spirit brings that. The vanilla and spice open in heat the way a whiskey's oak opens in heat. It's not a replica — it's its own thing, and it's the right thing.
Serves 1 · Prep 5 min · Glass Mug or heat-safe glass
What you need
- 2 oz Dry Shot Spiced Vanilla Spirit
- 1 tablespoon raw honey
- ½ oz fresh lemon juice
- 2 thin slices fresh ginger
- 6 oz very hot water (just off the boil)
- 1 cinnamon stick
- Lemon wheel and star anise to garnish
How to make it
- Warm your mug by filling it with hot water. Empty it.
- Add the honey and a small splash of hot water. Stir until dissolved.
- Add the ginger slices and press them once with a spoon.
- Add the spirit and lemon juice.
- Top with the remaining hot water. Stir gently.
- Lay a lemon wheel on the surface. Rest the cinnamon stick against the rim. Float the star anise on top.
Note: Add the spirit after the honey dissolves — not to boiling water. The top notes of the vanilla disappear at boiling temperature.
Made with Dry Shot Spiced Vanilla Spirit — warm vanilla and dark spice, for the serious pour.