Cinnamon is the spice most associated with Christmas cocktails (mulled wine, hot toddy, eggnog) and with American whiskey drinks. The Western pre-ground cinnamon most homes use is mostly cassia; "true" cinnamon (Ceylon) is milder, more floral, and worth seeking out for cocktails.
What it is
Cinnamon is the inner bark of certain Cinnamomum trees, peeled, dried, and rolled into quills (sticks).
- Ceylon cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum, "true cinnamon"): Sri Lankan, milder, more floral, multi-layered quills.
- Cassia cinnamon (Cinnamomum cassia): Vietnamese/Indonesian, sharper, more familiar "cinnamon" flavour, single-thick-layer quills. The standard supermarket cinnamon.
- Saigon cinnamon (Cinnamomum loureiroi): a stronger cassia subtype, common in Vietnam.
Flavour profile
Ceylon: floral-warm, gentle, complex.
Cassia: sharp-warm, almost spicy-hot, the classic "cinnamon" flavour.
Pairs naturally with bourbon, rum, brandy, apple, pear, citrus, vanilla, cardamom, clove, ginger, chocolate, coffee.
Where to source cinnamon in Malaysia
Wet markets: cassia sticks RM 10 to 20 per 100g. Ceylon less common.
Supermarkets: cassia sticks at any Aeon, Cold Storage, Mydin. Ceylon at specialty grocers (Mercato, Bens) and Sri Lankan-Indian shops.
Quality marker: sticks should be aromatic when sniffed, with a fresh-spice character. Old sticks smell dusty.
How to prep cinnamon for cocktails
Cinnamon syrup (the standard). 2 sticks broken up + 250ml water + 200g sugar. Simmer 10 minutes, steep covered until cool, strain. Keeps refrigerated 3 weeks.
Cinnamon-bourbon infusion. 1 cinnamon stick in 500ml bourbon. Leave 24-48 hours, taste, strain. The bourbon picks up warm spice without becoming sweet.
Grated garnish. Microplane a tiny amount of fresh cinnamon over the finished drink. The aroma hits with every sip.
Cinnamon-orange peel garnish. Wrap a small cinnamon stick with an orange peel, ignite for one second to release oils, drop in glass.
Best cocktails with cinnamon
Hot Toddy: bourbon, hot water, honey, lemon, cinnamon stick.
Mulled Wine: red wine, cinnamon, cloves, orange, sugar.
Cinnamon Old Fashioned: bourbon, cinnamon syrup, aromatic bitters.
Apple-Cinnamon Whisky Smash: bourbon, fresh apple juice, lemon, cinnamon syrup.
Mexican Hot Chocolate Cocktail: mezcal, hot chocolate, cinnamon syrup, chilli flake garnish.
In Malaysian use
Cinnamon (kayu manis in Malay, literally "sweet wood") is one of the four classical mamak spices alongside cardamom, clove, and star anise. It is foundational in nasi minyak, nasi tomato, mutton soup, beriani, beef rendang, and chicken curry, with whole sticks dropped into the cooking pot rather than ground powder. The cassia variety is the dominant local cinnamon, mostly sourced from Indonesian Sumatra, while Ceylon cinnamon is the higher-grade Sri Lankan variant carried by specialty grocers. Indian Muslim coffee shops also use cinnamon in masala teh tarik, the spiced milky-tea variant.
For sourcing, cassia sticks are at every Mydin, AEON, Cold Storage, and the Brickfields Indian grocers along Jalan Tun Sambanthan for RM 10 to 20 per 100g. Ceylon cinnamon is at B.I.G. Publika, Mercato Pavilion, and Salam Cheese in Subang, at the higher end of RM 30 to 60 per 100g. At the bar, we sometimes pair Ceylon cinnamon syrup with kopi-o in an Old Fashioned variant, where the gentler floral cinnamon meets the local dark coffee without the cassia sharpness fighting either ingredient.
Substitutions
- Cassia for Ceylon (works in any cinnamon recipe, slightly sharper).
- Allspice for the warm-spice umbrella.
- Star anise + clove for the warm winter-spice substitution.
Frequently asked questions
What does cinnamon taste like in cocktails?
Ceylon cinnamon is floral-warm, gentle, and complex. Cassia cinnamon is sharper, almost spicy-hot, the classic familiar cinnamon flavour. Both bring warm winter-spice character to cocktails. Pairs naturally with bourbon, rum, brandy, apple, pear, citrus, vanilla, cardamom, clove, ginger, chocolate, and coffee.
Where can I buy cinnamon in Malaysia?
Cassia sticks (the standard) are at every Mydin, AEON, Cold Storage, and the Brickfields Indian grocers along Jalan Tun Sambanthan for RM 10 to 20 per 100g. Ceylon cinnamon is at B.I.G. Publika, Mercato Pavilion, and Salam Cheese in Subang for RM 30 to 60 per 100g. Buy whole sticks; pre-ground cinnamon loses character fast.
What can I substitute for cinnamon?
Cassia and Ceylon are interchangeable in any cinnamon recipe; cassia is sharper. Allspice covers the warm-spice umbrella but is more clove-coded. Star anise plus a small piece of clove approximates the winter-spice direction. Nutmeg works as a garnish substitute but cannot replace cinnamon in a syrup.
Which cocktails use cinnamon?
Hot Toddy (bourbon, hot water, honey, lemon, cinnamon stick), Mulled Wine, Cinnamon Old Fashioned, Apple-Cinnamon Whisky Smash, and Mexican Hot Chocolate Cocktail. At Dissolved Solids, we sometimes pair Ceylon cinnamon syrup with kopi-o in an Old Fashioned variant where the gentler cinnamon meets local dark coffee without sharpness fighting either.
How long does cinnamon keep?
Whole cinnamon sticks keep 2 to 3 years in an airtight jar in a cool dark cupboard. Ground cinnamon loses most aroma within 6 months. Cinnamon syrup keeps 3 weeks refrigerated. Cinnamon-bourbon infusion is shelf-stable indefinitely. Old sticks smell dusty; if the aroma is faint when sniffed, replace.