Hot Spiced Cider

Now that winter is finally here after the glorious weeks of warm, sunny weather, I crave warmth. I've been drinking a lot of tea, but after a certain point, a woman needs something else. That's when her husband steps in and makes hot spiced apple cider. At least, he does this if he's a good man.
Darren began making spiced apple cider and wine when we received a pack of mulling spices from a first-grade student, via my mother, the first-grade teacher. After we used up the spices, Darren developed his own recipe for mulling spices and I like it even better than the pre-mixed stuff. Nothing beats hot spiced wine or cider on a freezing cold evening like the ones we've been having on the East Coast recently. He made some cider to go with the oatmeal cookies, but it's great with biscotti or just on its own.
Making hot spiced cider is great, because you can change it to suit your mood and preferences. Here is what Darren does:

Ingredients
2 cups unsweetened apple juice
1/4 cup triple sec (or orange juice)
1 Tb. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground allspice
a pinch of nutmeg

Combine everything in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer lightly for about a half hour. When pouring, do so carefully to avoid getting all the spices in your mug.