Cocktail Notes || EP. 3 "Hot Toddy", by H. Hendler and R. Flanagan || Hot Toddy

This is a rare instance where I selected a song that does not completely resonate with me. I chose it solely on the name and association with the cocktail pairing. The song “Hot Toddy” seemed to pop up frequently when I flipped through the jazz real book, but I never made an effort to learn or play it. I finally gave it a shot and I found the song to be just okay. The melody is actually pretty catchy, repetitive, and turned out to be a breeze to memorize. On the other hand, I could not get a good improvisational flow through the chords. The harmony was not necessarily challenging, but the progression was a little bit too stagnant compared to what I’m used to. I felt that my creativity was a bit stunted from the repetition of the chords.

The “Hot Toddy” cocktail is a base recipe for so many different combinations and flavor profiles. This one in particular is reminiscent of a hot “Old-Fashioned” cocktail. Sounds bizarre, but it combines into an easy drinker, especially for this chilly season. I adopted this recipe from the YT channel “How to Drink”, giving it my little twist by substituting in a cinnamon-clove syrup instead of a simple syrup. The warming spice notes complimented the cereal grain quality of “Monkey Shoulder” blended scotch. Add in a couple dashes of angostura bitters and some hot water, and you have the makings of an excellent winter warmer! Cheers!

[November 12, 2020]