Christmas 🙄 Cocktail

NOTES
Spice amounts are approximate as I cooked by feel for the most part. I used whole spices but I'm sure you could use ground ones if you played with the ratios a bit. You can definitely sub in normal black peppercorns for long ones, or even a bit of ground black pepper - I just used what I had on hand.  Cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, and pepper are the real stars of the show. The star anise and cloves are relatively subtle accents and could probably be omitted for a simpler version of the cocktail. Likewise, the Green Spot could be substituted for another whiskey, preferably something smooth with winter spice notes and a bit of heat. I can confirm it's still quite drinkable with Lot 40 rye. If subbing in bourbon, maple syrup may be a better sweetener than sugar. The cocktail is pretty good served cold but really shines when warmed up.

INGREDIENTS
Approx 1L sweet apple cider, non-alcoholic (I used PC brand)
2-3 cinnamon sticks
1/4 nutmeg, grated
1-2 long peppercorns, chopped
2-3 green cardamom pods, crushed
1 star anise
2 cloves
Sugar to taste (I'd guess I used around 1/4-1/2 cup)

PREP
Add cider and spices to a pot and simmer for 30 minutes. In the last 5-10 minutes when the flavours have had time to develop, add sugar to taste. Strain through a sieve into a jug. To remove fine particulate, let the spices settle in the jug before slowly pouring through a funnel into a bottle or storage container. When sediment starts to lift from the bottom, stop pouring and line the funnel with a coffee filter or paper towel for additional filtration before continuing. The spiced cider keeps in the fridge for at least as long as the plain cider would, likely longer from the boiling/spicing/sugaring, and it still tastes good several weeks after the original best before date. You can even premix the whiskey and cider to make it even more stable without noticeably (to me, at least) affecting the taste.

SERVING
Mix 2.5oz Green Spot with 7.5oz spiced cider in a mug, then warm up in the microwave. Express and rim with orange peel (instructions below in case you don't know what this means!), then discard the peel. Serve with a cinnamon stick and a slice of fresh orange with the rind and pith removed.

EXPRESSING AN ORANGE PEEL
Cut a thin strip (approx 1" by 2") of orange peel off a fresh orange with a potato peeler or sharp knife, taking as little white pith with it as possible. Hold the strip of peel over your drink with the outside facing down, then bend or twist to spray out the oils in the peel. It may not be obvious that it worked but you should see an oily sheen on the surface of the drink and there will be a smell of fresh orange. Finally, rub the outside of the peel around the rim of the mug ("rimming"). The peel can now be discarded or added to the drink, depending on the desired result. It makes a surprising difference and can really elevate some simple cocktails!