Clove is the cocktail spice you can recognise from across the room. Aromatic, intense, slightly numbing (the active compound eugenol is also a topical anaesthetic). Used carefully, it transforms a mulled wine or a hot toddy. Used aggressively, it dominates everything else. One clove per drink, sometimes two.
What it is
Syzygium aromaticum. Native to the Maluku Islands (Indonesia). The unopened flower buds are picked green and dried until brown. The name "clove" comes from Latin clavus (nail), describing the shape. Sold whole or ground; for cocktails, always whole.
Flavour profile
Sweet-pungent, intense, with a faintly bitter-numbing finish. The aromatic compounds (eugenol, caryophyllene) are powerful. Pairs naturally with bourbon, brandy, rum, mulled wine. Companion ingredients: cinnamon, orange peel, allspice, star anise, apple, pear, ginger, vanilla, honey.
Where to source clove in Malaysia
Indian and Chinese groceries: whole cloves RM 8 to 18 per 50g.
Supermarkets: any Malaysian supermarket in the spice aisle.
Quality marker: whole cloves should be plump with their tiny round "head" intact, strong oil smell when crushed. Cloves missing the head have lost most of their aroma.
How to prep clove for cocktails
Studded garnish (the classic). Push 3-5 whole cloves into the rind of an orange or lemon. The orange-clove pomander is the visual signature of mulled wine and the Hot Toddy.
Clove syrup. 6 whole cloves + 250ml water + 200g sugar. Simmer 8 minutes, steep covered 30 minutes, strain. Keeps refrigerated 3 weeks.
Clove-orange tincture. 10 whole cloves + zest of 1 orange + 200ml vodka. Steep 1 week. Strain. Use 2-3 dashes per cocktail.
Mulled wine spice mix. Clove + cinnamon stick + star anise + orange peel. The four-piece winter chord.
Best cocktails with clove
Mulled Wine: red wine, cloves, cinnamon, orange, sugar. The winter classic.
Hot Toddy: bourbon, hot water, honey, lemon, clove-studded orange peel.
Clove Old Fashioned: bourbon, clove syrup, aromatic bitters, large rock, single clove garnish.
Spiced Apple Punch: apple cider, dark rum, cloves, cinnamon, orange. Warm-served.
Eggnog: bourbon or rum, egg yolk, cream, sugar, clove, nutmeg. Christmas standard.
In Malaysian use
Clove (cengkih in Malay) is the original spice of the Maluku Islands, which sit at the eastern edge of the wider Malay world, and so the spice is genuinely regional rather than imported. It is one of the foundational ingredients in Malaysian curry powder, rendang, beriani rice, and most braised-meat marinades; nasi minyak, nasi tomato, and ayam masak merah all use it. Whole cloves studded into onions or oranges also flavour Indian Muslim mutton soup, and the spice is one of the four traditional aromatics (along with cardamom, cinnamon, star anise) in mamak cuisine.
For sourcing, whole cloves are at every supermarket and the Brickfields Indian grocers along Jalan Tun Sambanthan and Jalan Berhala for RM 8 to 18 per 50g. Mydin and AEON stock larger 100g packs at slightly better value. At the bar, we sometimes pair clove with gula melaka in a Hot Toddy variant, where the Indonesian spice and Malaysian palm sugar share a Malay-world provenance that the bourbon and standard syrup version misses.
Substitutions
- Allspice for the warm-spice umbrella (less intense).
- Cinnamon + nutmeg for the warm-spice direction without clove's bite.
- Star anise for liquorice-spice character.
Frequently asked questions
What does clove taste like in cocktails?
Clove is sweet-pungent, intense, with a faintly bitter-numbing finish (the compound eugenol is also a topical anaesthetic). The aroma is powerful and dominates fast, so one or two whole cloves per drink is the upper limit. Pairs naturally with bourbon, brandy, rum, mulled wine, cinnamon, orange peel, allspice, apple, vanilla, and honey.
Where can I buy clove in Malaysia?
Whole cloves are at every supermarket and the Brickfields Indian grocers along Jalan Tun Sambanthan and Jalan Berhala for RM 8 to 18 per 50g. The spice stalls at Pudu and Chow Kit markets stock them cheaper. Mydin and AEON have larger 100g packs at slightly better value. Buy whole; ground clove loses most aroma within a month.
What can I substitute for clove?
Allspice covers the warm-spice umbrella with less intensity (use 2:1 in place of clove). Cinnamon plus nutmeg gives the warm-spice direction without clove's bite. Star anise covers the liquorice-spice character but is more anise-coded. Pimento dram works as a liqueur-form substitute in Tiki builds.
Which cocktails use clove?
Mulled Wine, Hot Toddy (bourbon, hot water, honey, lemon, clove-studded orange peel), Clove Old Fashioned, Spiced Apple Punch, and Eggnog. At Dissolved Solids we sometimes pair clove with gula melaka in a Hot Toddy variant where the Indonesian spice and Malaysian palm sugar share a Malay-world provenance the bourbon-and-standard-syrup version misses.
How long does clove keep?
Whole cloves keep 2 years in an airtight jar in a cool dark cupboard. Ground clove loses most aroma within 3 to 6 months. Clove syrup keeps 3 weeks refrigerated. Clove-orange tincture is shelf-stable indefinitely. Cloves missing their tiny round head have lost most of their oils, so check before buying.