Ingredients:
3 star anise pods
1 Ceylon cinnamon stick (if available; if not, conventional cinnamon is fine)
10 cloves
6 cardamom pods
12 almonds
2 medium-sized oranges
2 teaspoonssugar
1 (750-milliliter) bottle Ketel One Vodka
1 (375-milliliter) bottle Italian sweet vermouth
1 cup(8 ounces) filtered water
Lemon peel, for garnish
Directions:
Combine star anise, Ceylon cinnamon, cloves, cardamom pods, and almonds in a small saucepan and toast on medium heat until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
Thoroughly scrub oranges under running water with a clean scrubber sponge or produce brush and dry (you can also use a fruit- and vegetable-safe wash here). Peel oranges and place the peels, along with the toasted spices and almonds, sugar, vodka, and sweet vermouth in a container and let sit for 1 hour.
Strain into a clean container, such as a pitcher, and add the filtered water; discard the spices, almonds, and orange peels. (You can also re-bottle the cocktail into the empty vodka and vermouth bottles, storing the excess in a small container.) Chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
To serve, pour into a chilled Old Fashioned glass and garnish with a lemon peel. Or, for a hot drink, combine ½ cup of the cocktail with ¼ to ⅓ cup boiling water in a heat-proof mug and garnish with a lemon peel.