Wassail (Slow Cooker Mulled Wine with Apples)

Ingredients

• 1 Honey Crisp large apple, or gala, cored
• 3 cinnamon sticks
• 3 inches orange peel or 1 medium navel orange, sliced
• 1 inch ginger nub of
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 5 allspice berries
• 4 cardamom pods cracked with the heel of your knife
• 2 star anise
• 1 teaspoon whole cloves
• 750 milliliters wine riesling, or dry white wine
• 4 cups apple cider
• 1/2 cup Irish whiskey
• 1 tablespoon dry vermouth optional
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• apple slices
• cinnamon sticks
• star anise