This week Oisin Davis makes the next cocktail in his series of festive treats.

Ginger & Date Hot Toddy

INGREDIENTS FOR BATCH, WILL MAKE 20 SERVINGS:

3 litres of pressed apple juice
1 jar of date syrup (use a jar of honey if you can't get this)
the zest and juice 2 lemons
100 g of fresh, peeled ginger
3 cinnamon sticks
3 star anise
3 green cardamom pods

METHOD

Grate the ginger into a pot with all of the other ingredients. Bring it up to the boil and leave it simmer with the lid on for at least an hour. You then strain it off to remove all non liquid and keep it warm on the stove.
For each serve, pour a shot of Jameson into a cup and top it up with the mulled apple juice. Garnish with a clove studded lemon slice.

Oisin says, "As fond as I am of a good hot whiskey, there are some variants on it that one can do to make for a more interesting beverage. And if you want to dust off that spice rack at home and put some of those ingredients to use, you could do a whole lot worse than this here recipe for a ginger and date hot toddy. The spices merge amazingly with the juice and brought together by the lovely smoothness of Jameson, my personal choice of spirit for this winter warmer!