Combine 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan. Add whole cloves, allspice berries, cinnamon sticks, star anise, and sliced ginger. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Simmer 5 minutes to extract spice flavor, then remove from heat and let steep 15–20 minutes for deeper flavor. Strain out solids into a heatproof container. Reserve syrup to cool to room temperature.

Assemble Punch

Combine spirits and citrus

In a large punch bowl or pitcher, pour 1 cup Laird's Applejack, 1 cup aged Jamaican rum, and 1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice. Stir to combine.

Add cider and syrup

Add 3 cups hard cider and 1/2 cup of the cooled spiced simple syrup. Taste and adjust sweetness: add up to remaining syrup (up to another 1/4 cup) if you prefer sweeter punch, or a splash more lemon if you prefer brighter acidity.

Add fruit and chill

Add the thin apple, lemon, and orange slices to the punch. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour (up to 4 hours) to let flavors marry. For a lightly warmed version, you may serve after a 15–20 minute warm infusion (do not boil once cider is added).

Serve

Just before serving, taste the punch and adjust seasoning with a pinch of grated nutmeg. Fill glasses or a ladling cup with ice if desired, then ladle punch into glasses, making sure each serving gets some fruit slices. Garnish with an extra cinnamon stick or star anise per bowl or glass if you like.

Estimated yield: serves 8 (about 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup punch per serving depending on glassware). Store leftovers refrigerated up to 48 hours; cider will lose carbonation and flavors will mellow.