Hot Cocktail — The Ship To Shore

When it’s really cold outside (like right now), a hot cocktail can hit the spot.  Not hot as in sexy, not hot as in trendy, but hot as in to where Dante traveled in the Inferno.

This cocktail recipe appeared in Mens Journal magazine, and I tweaked it slightly to make it more suitable to the Wulf Cocktail Den, i.e. a little more “alcohol forward”  and less watered down.

The Ship To Shore

.75 ounces light rum
1.5 ounces Laird’s applejack
.75 ounces super simple syrup (click here)
2 dashes Angostura bitters
1 cinnamon stick

Combine all ingredients in a small pan, put on low to medium heat for a few minutes, pour the mixture into a suitable glass, and add 2-3 ounces of hot water.  Garnish with a cinnamon stick.

This cocktail is an excellent alternative to other hot cocktails such as Irish coffee. So why is it called Ship To Shore?  According to the magazine, its inspiration comes from Prohibition rumrunners.  I haven’t been able to confirm this.  Nonetheless, I’m a big fan of Prohibition era cocktails such as the Sidecar, as well as Prohibition inspired cocktails that are much stronger than this one (check out the forthcoming post).  

If this cocktail doesn’t warm you up, have another.  If that one doesn’t do it …… use your imagination.