Cocktail & Other Recipes By Spirit Tequila & Mezcal Cocktails

Heated Affair

Written by
Liquor.com
Updated 07/09/21
Heated Affair cocktail with white frothy head in an Irish coffee mug, garnished with cinnamon stick and fresh nutmeg
Image:

Liquor.com / Tim Nusog

Tequila is best known for its use in the Margarita and as a festive shooter, but the agave-based spirit has a lot more to offer. From earthy, peppery blancos to oaky añejos, tequila is a workhorse cocktail ingredient that can and should be employed during all four seasons.

When the weather turns cold, San Francisco bartender Jacques Bezuidenhout turns to the Heated Affair, a drink that will warm you up better than any electric blanket. The cocktail features añejo tequila, a spiced apple cider that you make quickly on the stove and a topper of heavy cream—the most comforting of all the creams. Served in an Irish Coffee mug with a cinnamon stick and dusting of fresh nutmeg, it’s a fine option whether you’re curled up on the couch under a blanket or hosting a holiday party.

Many hot drinks call for whiskey or rum, so añejo tequila may not be the first spirit you think of when making cocktails, but it displays its flexibility in this recipe. The aged tequila takes on baking spice notes from the oak barrel, which meld seamlessly with the spiced apple cider. And the cream gives the whole package a silky, luxurious texture. Take one sip of the Heated Affair, and you’ll see that tequila works just as well in your winter warmers as it does in your summer refreshers.

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Ingredients

  • 2 ounces Partida añejo tequila

  • 6 ounces hot spiced apple cider*

  • Heavy cream, to top

  • Garnish: nutmeg, freshly grated

  • Garnish: cinnamon stick

Steps

  1. Pour boiling water into an Irish Coffee glass until it warms, then discard the water.

  2. Add the tequila and hot spiced apple cider into the glass.

  3. Top with a splash of heavy cream.

  4. Garnish with freshly grated nutmeg and a cinnamon stick.

*Hot spiced apple cider: Heat organic apple juice in a small saucepan over low heat. Add winter spices like cloves, cinnamon sticks, allspice and orange peel as desired. Cook for about 15 minutes and strain before using.