Hot Bergamot

COCKTAIL INGREDIENTS:
- 30 ml Bergamot Liqueur
- 15 ml London Dry Gin
- 30 ml Bergamot Cordial
- 15 ml Rich Demerara Syrup
- Pinch of Salt
- 200 ml Hot Water

GARNISH:
- Dehydrated Bergamot Wheel
- Dried Clover Blossoms

INSTRUCTIONS:
• Combine all of the ingredients in a heat proof glass.
• Stir to combine.
• Top with hot water.
• Garnish with a dehydrated bergamot wheel and a dried clover blossom.

A third cocktail in my series of hot winter style cocktails: Hot Bergamot.

I really love the fragrant quality of bergamot in a cocktail and since I still had some home-made bergamot liqueur and cordial lying around in the fridge I decided to give it a go and combine it in a toddy style cocktail. The result was Hot Bergamot.

I started with some bitter-sweet notes of the bergamot liqueur to build the cocktail around. I chose London dry gin to pair it with in order to bring a touch of dryness and notes of juniper to the mix. Addition of bergamot cordial further develops the aromatic element of this lovely citrus, at the same time providing a refreshing tartness. A pinch of salt helps to tame and round out those bitter and tart notes and together with the rich demerara syrup balances out the cocktail and brings it all into a delicious whole. Finally, add some hot water and a dehydrated bergamot wheel and you have yourself a lovely warm drink to enjoy on a cold cold winters evening.

Bergamot might be a tough to source ingredient, but it is absolutely worth the effort. Rich in fragrance, bitterness and tartness, it is perfect for cocktails, so I highly recommend trying it.