5 Essential Cold-Weather Cocktails

“One of the seasonal winter drinks I’m hoping to test this year is a play on the wassail, a traditionally hot, mulled cider. I would infuse the drink with bourbon and use apple, orange peel, clove, and cinnamon to give it a little more pow!“ − Jason Shullo | Golden Entertainment | Las Vegas

“Old-fashioneds, to me, are timeless. They feel like the warmth of a fireside and the comfort of a wool coat, the drink of Thanksgiving. And there is nothing wrong with adding modern classic twists like maple syrup or a burnt peel. It is fall after all.“ − Josh Cameron | Boulton & Watt | New York City

“I like whiskey in all forms, from the simple—like a shot with a pint of cider—to a craft cocktail like our Don’t Burn the House Down, a smoked old-fashioned made with Larceny Bourbon. Whiskey goes well with all of the favorite fall flavors like apple, cinnamon, and nutmeg.” − Kate Fugate | Sweet Auburn Barbecue | Atlanta

“I make a spiked peppermint hot chocolate. The key is to make the hot chocolate from scratch and to infuse the vodka with peppermint candies in-house, to control quality and sweetness.” − Nick Rini | Refinery Rooftop | New York City

“We bring out the water heaters every November to make variations of the hot toddy—everything from the classic with bourbon, lemon, honey, and cinnamon, to more exotic twists like local overproof rum, coffee liqueur, and creme de cacao, or aged rum, pineapple, and baking spices.“ − Ryan Andrews | GBOD Hospitality Group | San Diego