Spiced Cocktails for Winter: How Cinnamon, Star Anise & Clove Transform Your Drinks

The best spices for winter cocktails are cinnamon, star anise, clove, nutmeg, ginger and cardamom. Each one adds warmth and aroma without much sweetness, which is why they turn a familiar drink into something that tastes of cold nights, open fires and the run-up to Christmas. You can use them in three simple ways: as a garnish, in a spiced syrup, or warmed through the drink itself.

When we ran our cocktail bar, the moment the clocks went back our winter specials arrived. Our bright, zesty serves stayed firm favourites all year round, but alongside them came cinnamon, clove and orange peel, and the bar started to smell like Christmas weeks before anyone had put up a tree. Spice is the quickest way we know to make a drink feel seasonal, and the good news is that you need nothing more than your kitchen cupboard to do it at home.

Here is what each spice brings to the glass, how to pair it with the right spirit, and a few easy ways to add it to the cocktails you already love.

What each spice brings to a cocktail

Cinnamon is the warmest and most familiar of the winter spices. It reads as sweet even though it adds no sugar, so it rounds out sharp citrus and softens the edges of a strong spirit. It loves apple, vodka, bourbon and dark rum.

Star anise brings a gentle liquorice note and a beautiful aroma the moment it hits a warm drink. A single pod is plenty, and it looks stunning floating on top. Pair it with apple, pear, gin and anything served warm.

Clove is the backbone of mulled wine for a reason. It is intense, slightly numbing and deeply festive, so use it sparingly. Two or three cloves pressed into an orange peel will scent a whole drink.

Nutmeg is creamy and comforting, which makes it the natural finish for rich, silky drinks. A light grating over the top is all it needs. It works beautifully with coffee, cream, brandy and rum.

Ginger adds heat and freshness at the same time, lifting a winter drink so it never feels heavy. Use fresh slices, ginger syrup or a good ginger beer. It suits whisky, rum and vodka.

Cardamom is floral, citrusy and a little exotic. Crush one or two green pods to release the seeds before using. It pairs wonderfully with gin, coffee and orange.

A useful rule from behind the bar: the warmer the drink, the less spice you need. Heat carries aroma, so a warm serve will taste far more spiced than a cold one made with the same amount.

Our Spiced Apple Pie: winter in a glass, warm or cold

Our Spiced Apple Pie cocktail started with a memory of our babcia, our Polish grandma, and the apple pie she baked every winter. We wanted a drink that captured that moment when the kitchen fills with cinnamon and warm apple, so we built it on aromatic Żubrówka bison grass vodka, with cinnamon and citrus to bring it to life.

It is designed to be mixed 1:1 with cloudy apple juice, which adds a gentle tang so the drink never feels too sweet. That means you can serve it two ways.

Served cold

1. Fill a highball glass with ice.
2. Pour 50–75ml of Spiced Apple Pie.
3. Top with the same amount of cloudy apple juice and stir.
4. Garnish with a thin apple slice and a cinnamon stick.

Served warm (the mulled wine alternative)

1. Gently warm cloudy apple juice in a pan until steaming, but never boiling.
2. Pour it into a heatproof glass or mug.
3. Stir in 50–75ml of Spiced Apple Pie, matching the amount of apple juice.
4. Float a star anise pod on top and add a cinnamon stick to stir.

The warm serve is the one our friends ask for again and again. It has all the comfort of mulled wine with a lighter, brighter finish, and it is ready in about two minutes, so there is no pot simmering on the hob all evening. Spiced Apple Pie comes in 500ml and 200ml bottles. For pubs and bars, it is also available in a 5L bag-in-box, which makes a quick, consistent and high-margin swap for mulled wine on a busy winter menu.

Easy ways to spice up the rest of the range

You do not need a new bottle to bring winter spice into your glass. A few small touches will give the cocktails you already love a seasonal twist.

• Maple Old Fashioned: This is the one we leave alone. Woodford Reserve, maple syrup and bitters already bring all the warmth it needs, so we serve it simply over a large ice cube, with a twist of orange peel over the glass if you like a little citrus lift.
• Espresso Martini: Shake hard over ice, strain into a chilled coupe, then finish with a fine grating of nutmeg or a pinch of ground cinnamon over the foam. For something more indulgent, try it as an affogato over vanilla ice cream, as we explain in our after-dinner cocktails guide.
• The Marlow Negroni: Swap the usual orange slice for a clove-studded orange wheel and add a single crushed cardamom pod to the glass. The bitterness of the Negroni and the warmth of the spice are a perfect match for long winter evenings.

Spice and spirit pairings at a glance

How to make a spiced syrup at home

A homemade spiced syrup is the simplest way to bring winter spice into any drink, from a cocktail to a hot chocolate. It takes about 15 minutes and keeps in the fridge for up to two weeks.

You will need: 200g caster sugar, 200ml water, 2 cinnamon sticks, 2 star anise, 4 cloves and a wide strip of orange peel.

1. Add the sugar and water to a small pan and warm gently, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
2. Add the spices and orange peel, then simmer softly for 5 minutes.
3. Take the pan off the heat and leave to infuse for 10 minutes, or longer for a stronger flavour.
4. Strain into a clean bottle or jar and leave to cool before storing in the fridge.

Add 10–15ml to a cocktail, a glass of prosecco or a mug of warm cloudy apple juice. If you are short on time, a splash of our Spiced Apple Pie does the same job in a fraction of the time.

Sip to the Sounds: the festive funk soundtrack

Spice is all about atmosphere, and so is music. As we explored in our guide to multi-sensory sipping, what you hear changes how a drink tastes, and warm, groovy sounds bring out the richness in a spiced serve.

That is why Antosh has put together a festive funk playlist to go with our Spiced Apple Pie: soulful, feel-good grooves that get the room moving without drowning out the conversation. Scan the QR code on the bottle, pour yourself a warm glass, and let the evening take care of itself.

Spiced cocktail FAQs

What spices go best in cocktails? Cinnamon, star anise, clove, nutmeg, ginger and cardamom are the most versatile. Cinnamon and clove suit dark spirits, star anise and cardamom suit gin and vodka, and nutmeg is the classic finish for creamy or coffee-based drinks.

Can you put whole spices straight into a cocktail? Yes. Whole spices make a beautiful garnish and release aroma gently, especially in warm drinks. For a stronger and more even flavour, infuse them into a syrup first, as ground spices can leave a gritty texture.

What is the difference between spiced and mulled drinks? A spiced drink has spice added through a syrup, a garnish or the recipe itself, and can be served hot or cold. A mulled drink is always heated with the spices, usually wine or cider, and simmered so the flavours infuse.

What can I serve instead of mulled wine? A warm Spiced Apple Pie is a quick, lighter alternative. Mix it 1:1 with warm cloudy apple juice and garnish with star anise and a cinnamon stick. It is ready in about two minutes and needs no simmering.

Can you serve cocktails warm? Many can, especially those built on apple juice, cider or tea. Warm the mixer rather than the spirit, never let it boil, and use heatproof glasses.

Warm up your winter

Whether you are lighting the fire on Bonfire Night, hosting friends in December or treating yourself to a quiet glass on a cold evening, a little spice makes every drink feel like an occasion. Explore the full Rythmik cocktail range, browse our gift sets for the cocktail lover in your life, and sign up for 10% off your first order.