Updated September 2026 by Lydia Martin
Almost every hot toddy recipe tells you to add boiling water. Almost every hot toddy recipe is wrong about that.
Ethanol boils at 173°F (78.4°C). Water boils at 212°F. Pour boiling water over whiskey and you are actively driving alcohol and aromatic compounds out of the glass and into the air. That is why so many home toddies smell wonderful and then taste harsh and thin — the pleasant part left as steam, and what stayed behind is hot, sweet water with a rough edge.
Use water at roughly 160°F. Below ethanol's boiling point, hot enough to dissolve honey and feel warming. If you have a kettle with temperature control, set it there. If you don't, boil it and let it stand for three to four minutes.
This single change improves a toddy more than any bottle upgrade will.
Which whiskey — and this is where a toddy differs from eggnog
Eggnog is fat and sugar, so it flattens everything and demands high proof. A toddy is water, honey and lemon — much lighter. Nuance survives here.
That reverses the advice. In a toddy, the smoother whiskeys that vanish in eggnog actually shine.
Irish whiskey — the best choice
Typically triple-distilled and deliberately smooth, which is exactly right against honey and lemon. Jameson is the classic and the correct default. Powers brings a little more spice. Redbreast, if you want to spend more, is genuinely lovely.
Irish whiskey is also the traditional toddy base, and the drink is closely associated with Ireland and Scotland for good reason.
Scotch — the sophisticated choice
A blended Scotch such as Monkey Shoulder or Famous Grouse works cleanly. But the more interesting move is a lightly peated Highland or Island malt, where the smoke sits under the honey and lemon and adds a low, savory note. A toddy is one of the few hot drinks that flatters peat.
Bourbon — the American choice
Vanilla and caramel against honey is a natural pairing. Covered fully on our bourbon toddy page; the short version is that 90 to 100 proof works best and high-rye adds welcome spice.
Rye — for people who find toddies too sweet
Honey plus lemon plus corn sweetness can tip sugary. Rye's pepper fixes it.
What to skip. Flavored whiskeys — honey whiskey in a drink already built on honey is redundant. And very heavily peated Islay malts, which overwhelm lemon entirely.
Honey, and one thing worth being accurate about
Use real honey, not honey syrup or sugar. Honey's texture is a large part of what makes a toddy feel soothing, and its flavor is doing structural work in a three-ingredient drink.
On the medicinal reputation: a hot toddy is not medicine. Honey has reasonable evidence behind it as a cough soother, and warm liquid genuinely helps with congestion. Alcohol does neither — it disrupts sleep quality and dehydrates, both of which work against you when you are unwell. A hot toddy is a pleasant drink to have when you feel rough. It is not a treatment, and a hot honey-and-lemon with no whiskey does the actually helpful part.
Never give honey to a child under one year old, in any form, due to the risk of infant botulism.
The build
Makes one
- 2 oz whiskey
- 2 tsp real honey
- ½ oz fresh lemon juice
- 4 oz hot water, about 160°F
- Lemon wheel studded with 3 cloves; cinnamon stick optional
Warm the mug first with hot tap water and discard. Add honey and a splash of the hot water and stir until fully dissolved — do this before the whiskey goes in, or the honey sits at the bottom. Add whiskey and lemon juice. Top with remaining water. Garnish.
Fresh lemon only. Bottled juice is the single most common reason a toddy tastes flat.
Variations worth making
Tea toddy. Replace the water with hot black tea. Tannin adds structure, and it is the traditional Irish version.
Apple cider toddy. Warm cider instead of water, bourbon instead of Irish. Excellent in November.
Ginger toddy. Steep fresh ginger in the water first. Genuinely the best variant when you have a sore throat.
More in our Whiskey Guide.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best whiskey for a hot toddy?
Irish whiskey — Jameson is the classic. Its smoothness suits honey and lemon better than a heavier whiskey does.
What temperature should hot toddy water be?
About 160°F. Ethanol boils at 173°F, so boiling water drives alcohol and aroma out of the glass.
Can you use Scotch in a hot toddy?
Yes. A blended Scotch works cleanly, and a lightly peated malt adds a smoky note that suits the drink unusually well.
Does a hot toddy help a cold?
Not really. Honey soothes cough and warm liquid eases congestion, but alcohol disrupts sleep and dehydrates. The non-alcoholic version does the helpful part.
Should I use honey or sugar?
Honey. Its texture and flavor are central to the drink, and sugar produces something noticeably thinner.
How much whiskey goes in a hot toddy?
2 oz to about 4 oz of hot water.
Sources and method
Ethanol's boiling point is 78.4°C (173°F). Guidance on honey and infants under one year reflects standard food safety advice on infant botulism. Nothing on this page is medical advice. No prices or ratings are invented on this page.