Warming cocktail recipes to try for the festive season.

When we think of what to drink during winter, our minds naturally turn to temperature. It’s cold outside, so let’s drink something hot. Makes sense. Tea and hot chocolate are fine for this purpose, of course. Just the thing you need after a brisk walk in the cold. But what about booze? Nothing quite warms the cockles like alcohol. And when it’s warmed up, it’s like a Canada Goose jacket in a mug. But what does a respectable, hardened drinker do once they have grown tired of the likes of warm cider and mulled wine? Pull out the gin, of course.

You may not be familiar with the concept of hot gin. But not to worry, nor were we until Sipsmith master distiller Mr Jared Brown kindly filled us in on its joys. Apparently, hot gin is a tradition which goes back a while. Back to 1689, to be precise, when, by royal decree, it would be served in London on the Thames during the time it would freeze over in winter. Things have moved on now, of course. Global warming has turned the Thames lukewarm. And cocktail creation has become rather creative. Given we like to keep up with the times (even if we are keeping a centuries old tradition alive), we asked Sipsmith master distiller Mr Jared Brown to provide us with three warming gin recipes to see us through winter.

Serves one

Ingredients: 50 ml Sipsmith London dry gin 20ml tonic syrup 10ml of sugar syrup

Method: Pour all ingredients into a mug and top with hot water. Garnish with orange zest.

Serves 1

**Ingredients: **25 ml Sipsmith London dry gin 25 ml Campari 25 ml Sweet vermouth Red berry tea, to taste

Method: Pour all liquor into a mug and top with hot red berry tea. Garnish with a wheel of dehydrated orange.

Serves 1

Ingredients: Mug of cloudy apple juice Pinch/to taste: allspice, cloves, star anise, nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla 50ml Sipsmith Sloe Gin

Method: Mull the cloudy apple juice with the spices and vanilla. Pour 50 ml Sipsmith Sloe Gin into a mug. Top with some mulled apple. Garnish with a stick of cinnamon and half an orange slice.