Don't use sugar. There's a reason why many of the recipes mention honey instead, y'know. Lemon juice can be replaced by lime (yep, vitamin C is the key ingredient). And brandy works as well as whisky (blended, not single malt!) or rum, depending on your taste. I wouldn't use clear spirit such as gin or vodka, though.

The key thing, though, is that it should be piping hot. It's not a drink, it's a sip! Make it with freshly boiled water, then slap the glass in the microwave. If you don't need a spare towel, or a sock wrapped round the glass, to hold it, you haven't made it hot enough! Sip & keep sipping 'til it's gone, but sip, quickly & continually.

If you can drink it, you made it wrong or were too slow consuming...