Apple Cider and Whiskey (Hot or Cold!) ~ Food Buddy

Here’s the perfect perfect apple cider and whiskey pairing! This versatile cocktail can be served cold as a lowball drink with ice or warm as spiced cider with cinnamon and cloves.

If you’re looking for an easy cocktail for fall or winter, try apple cider and whiskey! These two ingredients go hand in hand, with spicy whiskey complementing the sweet-tart cider perfectly.

Though I’m a cocktail expert who loves shaking up fancy drinks, many times I’m looking for a simple two-ingredient pairing. This one pairs perfectly and you can drink it one hot or cold! Make it a lowball cocktail with big chunks of clear ice, or go for hot spiked cider spiced with cinnamon and cloves.

Ingredients you’ll need

Apple cider and whiskey are the ideal pairing for fall and winter cocktails. They work together cold as a lowball cocktail, or hot as spiked cider. Here are the basic ingredients:

Whiskey: You can use any type of whiskey, but I have some favorites I’ll share in a minute.
Apple cider: I like unfiltered cider best; it has a cloudy appearance since it contains the apple pulp and sediment
Spices: For the warm version, you’ll need whole cloves and cinnamon.
Garnishes: I like an orange wheel for the cold drink or cranberries for the hot version.

For your lowball cocktail, mix the whiskey and apple cider, add big chunks of clear ice, and top with an orange wheel.

Picking your whiskey

There are specific types of whiskey that pair best with cider in the lowball version of this cocktail. When you pair cold cider with whiskey, you’ll want that signature spicy burn on the finish.

The sweet flavor of bourbon can get lost unless you pair it with a complementary spirit like orange liqueur or vermouth. Here are a few notes on how each type of whiskey pairs with cider in this drink:

Rye whiskey pairs well with its signature spicy burn on the finish.
Blended Scotch is another great choice that balances well on the finish.
Tennessee whiskey and Canadian whisky, like Jack Daniels or Crown Royal, are great choices.
Bourbon works, though the flavor is less noticeable in the lowball drink. Try it in my Apple Cider Bourbon cocktail or the hot version!
Irish whiskey is very mellow. It works if you’re looking for something very easy to drink.
Fireball whisky is fantastic with cider. I like it in my Fireball and Apple Cider.

Make it hot

If you’re hosting a seasonal party, a batch of hot spiked apple cider is always a hit. This recipe is easiest to make as a 6-serving drink! Here’s what’s different:

Simmer 6 cups of apple cider with 1 cup whiskey, along with cinnamon and whole cloves.
Any type of whiskey works. Again, they’ll all have different flavor variations. If you’re looking to use bourbon, the warming flavor works best in the hot version of this drink.

Tips for buying cider

In all of my drinks with cider, I look for a few things:

Find unfiltered cider if you can. Unfiltered cider contains the pulp and sediment. Filtered is clear and light in color, basically like apple juice. Choose unfilteredfor the best flavor and color for cocktails.
Try to find pasteurized cider. Pasteurizing apple cider makes it more shelf-stable. Unpasteurized cider has a higher risk of bacteria, and can turn into hard cider or apple cider vinegar over time.