Old-Fashioned Swedish Glögg

Ingredients

• 5 bottles port wine , 750 milliliter
• 1 bottle 100 proof bourbon whiskey , 750 milliliter
• 1 bottle white rum , 750 milliliter
• 1 cinnamon stick , 3-inch
• 1 strip of orange peel , 3-inch
• 4 whole cloves
• 3 whole cardamom pods , cracked
• 1 square of cheesecloth , 8-inch
• 0.75 cups white sugar
• 1 package dark raisins , 15 ounce
• 1 package blanched slivered almonds , 6 ounce

Instructions

1. 1

   Heat port wine in a large stockpot with a lid over medium heat until just below the simmering point. Add bourbon and rum; heat until just below simmering. Save the bottles and their caps for storing leftover glögg.

2. 2

   Meanwhile, place cinnamon stick, orange peel, cloves, and cardamom pods in the center of the cheesecloth square. Gather edges of the cheesecloth and tie with kitchen twine to secure; set aside.

3. 3

   When wine mixture is very hot but not boiling, carefully light it with a long-handled match. Wearing a heatproof cooking mitt, carefully pour sugar into the flames; let mixture burn for 1 minute. Place the lid on the stockpot to extinguish the flames and turn off the heat. Let mixture cool, covered, about 10 minutes.

4. 4

   Add the cheesecloth spice bundle, raisins, and almonds to warm wine mixture; let it cool to room temperature, about 1 hour.

5. 5

   Strain cooled glögg and reserve the raisins and almonds.

6. 6

   To serve: Pour glögg into a saucepan and warm over medium-low heat until hot but not simmering, about 5 minutes. Ladle 3 ounces of warmed glögg into a small coffee cup or a small Swedish-style glögg mug, and garnish each serving with a few reserved raisins and almonds.