Hot Gin Punch
ClassicDickens' warm gin, Madeira, and spice.
Warming and aromatic. Juniper-forward gin meets the nutty, raisined depth of Madeira, brightened with lemon and softened with honey; nutmeg and clove make it unmistakably wintry. Spirit-forward and old-world — a fireside punch in a glass.
Ingredients
- 2 oz Gin
- 1 oz Madeira
- 0.5 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
- 0.5 oz Honey Syrup
- 3 oz Water
- 1 pinch Nutmeg
- Nutmeg · optional garnish
Method
- 1
Combine the gin, Madeira, lemon juice, and honey syrup in a saucepan.
- 2
Warm gently over low heat with a little grated nutmeg and a clove or two — never let it boil.
- 3
Once hot and fragrant, pour in the hot water.
- 4
Serve warm in a glass and grate fresh nutmeg over the top.
The Story
Hot Gin Punch is a Dickensian drink in the most literal sense — a warm, spiced gin-and-Madeira punch of the kind Mr Pickwick and his friends drank their way through, and a fixture of English winters in the 1830s and 40s. Once made by the bowl for a room and ladled out hot, it scales down neatly to a single steaming glass.
Recipe card
The whole recipe in one shareable image.
