Both Day of the Dead and Halloween are approaching. Parties are on the calendar, costumes are being put together, and food spreads are being brainstormed. Take some of the guesswork out with one or more of these deliciously spooky cocktails to liven up the month.
Pumpkin Paradise (Courtesy of Skrewball Peanut Butter Whiskey)
1.5 oz. Skrewball Peanut Butter Whiskey
¾ oz. Zaya Gran Reserva Rum
0.5 oz. Orange Juice
0.5 oz. Pineapple Juice
0.5 oz. Pumpkin Cream of Coconut Mix (recipe follows*)
3 Pineapple Top Leaves
Pumpkin Spice
*Pumpkin Cream of Coconut Mix:
15 oz. can Pumpkin Puree
15 oz. can Cream of Coconut
2 dashes Vanilla Extract
1 tsp. Cinnamon
¾ tsp. Nutmeg
3 tbsp. Sugar
Blend all ingredients in the pumpkin cream of coconut mix to taste. Shake all ingredients together in a shaker with ice and pour into cocktail glass. Garnish with three pineapple leaves and powdered pumpkin spice.
Eye Of The Spider (Courtesy of Cutwater Spirits)
1.5 oz. Cutwater Spirits vodka
1 oz. NOLA coffee liqueur
.5 oz. creme de cacao
Whipped topping:
4 oz. whipped cream
1 oz. cinnamon syrup
Combine ingredients in a cocktail stirring glass. Add ice and stir until ice begins to melt and cocktail is properly diluted. Strain into chilled coupe glass. Add heavy cream and cinnamon syrup to cocktail shaker. Shake (without ice) until cream turns light and airy. Float whipped cream on top of cocktail and garnish with a hand-drawn spider web and sugar eyeball.
Vampire in Manhattan (Courtesy of Barceló Rum)
2 oz. Barceló Imperial Onyx Rum
1 tsp. of sweet vermouth
2 dashes of Angostura bitters
Garnish: Luxardo Maraschino cherry
In a mixing glass with ice, combine Barceló Imperial Onyx, sweet vermouth and Angostura bitters. Stir until well-chilled and then pour into a chilled Manhattan or martini glass. Garnish with a maraschino cherry.
The Witch Word (Courtesy of Strega Liqueur)
3/4 oz. Strega Liqueur
3/4 oz. Gin
3/4 oz. Maraschino Luxardo
3/4 oz. Fresh Lime Juice
Shake with ice & strain into a cocktail glass. Pour the drink into a cocktail glass without ice. Garnish with a slice of lime.
Skeleton Squash (Courtesy of Humboldt Organic Vodka)
2 oz. Humboldt Organic Vodka
.5 oz. Fresh organic lemon juice
1 oz. Roasted squash syrup*
*Roasted squash simple: Roast butternut squash until golden brown. Combine 10 oz. of squash, 5 oz. simple syrup, and 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon in a blender, and blend until smooth. Combine all ingredients in a shaker, add ice, shake, and strain. Serve in a coupe glass and enjoy!
The Rogue Pirate’s Curse (Courtesy of The Balvenie brand ambassador Naoni Leslie)
2 parts The Balvenie 14 Year Caribbean Cask
1/2 part Amaro di Angostura
1/4 part Hamilton Pimento Dram
1/4 part Ancho Reyes Chile Liqueur
Add all ingredients to a mixing glass, fill with ice, stir briefly, and strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with a brandied cherry (run through with a sword).
Año Nuevo (Courtesy of Lobos 1707 Tequila)
1 oz Lobos 1707 Tequila Joven
1 oz Raspberry Liqueur
Prosecco, or substitute soda water for Prosecco for a lighter, lower ABV option
Orange Bitters
Lime
In a mixing glass combine Lobos 1707 Tequila Joven, raspberry liqueur and a couple squeezes of fresh lime juice, stir to combine, then pour evening into two champagne flutes. Carefully top off with Prosecco or soda water. Finish with a dash or two of orange bitters on top, with fresh raspberries if desired. Makes 2 servings.
Spooky Penicillin (Courtesy of Glenfiddich brand ambassador Kevin Canchola)
1.5 parts Glenfiddich 14
.5 parts Glenfiddich Fire & Cane
.75 parts lemon juice
.75 parts ginger apple cider syrup (in a pot, reduce 24 oz of apple cider and 1 knuckle of ginger over low heat until it’s a syrup consistency – takes 1-2 hours)
1 Tsp activated charcoal (to make the cocktail black)
Garnish with a lemon wheel
Combine ingredients and pour over ice.
Halloween Punch (Courtesy of Crystal Head Vodka)
12 oz. Crystal Head Vodka
24 oz. Red Cranberry Juice
32 oz. Ruby Red Grapefruit Juice
8 oz. Fresh Lemon Juice
27 oz. Ginger Beer
Add all ingredients into a punch bowl with fresh slices of blood orange, lemon, grapefruit and cranberries. Serve over ice. Serves 8 people.
Hocus Pocus Hot Toddy (Courtesy of Swoon)
4 oz. Swoon Ginger Lime Mixer
2 oz. Whisky
Black tea bag
One lemon
One cinnamon stick
Pour boiling water over a black tea bag and let steep for five minutes. In a separate glass, add Swoon Ginger Lime Mixer and squeezed juice from half the lemon. Add hot tea to the glass and stir. Cut the remaining half of the lemon into slices, add as garnish along with cinnamon stick.
Haunted Old Fashioned (Courtesy of BICE)
2 oz. Billionaires Row Cognac
1 oz. Agave Simple Syrup
1/2 oz. water
2 dashes of Bitters
Pour all ingredients in a clear glass shaker, add ice, and stir. Strain the cocktail over a large cube in a rocks glass, peel orange rind, twist in the cocktail, rim the glass and drop in.
Pumpkin Hot Buttered Skrew (Courtesy of Skrewball Peanut Butter Whiskey)
1.5 oz. Skrewball Peanut Butter Whiskey
0.5 oz. Pumpkin Spice Syrup
1 Sugar Cube
1 tbsp. Butter
4 oz. Hot Water
Star Anise
Cinnamon Sugar
Add sugar, butter and hot water to mug and stir until dissolved. Add Skrewball and star anise and stir. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
Haunted Apple DEW (Courtesy of Tullamore D.E.W. brand ambassador Gillian Murphy)
2 parts Tullamore DEW Original
0.5 part Lemon Juice
Juice of 1 fresh-pressed green apple (or 6 parts cloudy apple juice)
Garnish: Apple slice & strawberry preserves
Add ingredients to an ice-filled shaker. Shake and strain into a chilled coupe glass. For garnish, slice an apple and carve a scary face. Use strawberry preserves for the ‘blood’ effect.
Pumpkin Daiquiri (Courtesy of Barceló Rum)
2 oz. Barceló Gran Añejo Dark Series
½ oz. St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram
¼ oz. ginger liqueur
¼ oz. simple syrup
½ oz. fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp. pumpkin purée
Garnish: orange twist
In a shaker with ice, combine Barceló Gran Añejo Dark Series, St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram, ginger liqueur, simple syrup, lemon juice and pumpkin puree. Shake and strain into a chilled couple glass. Garnish with an orange twist.
Nightmare on South Beach (Courtesy of Monkey Shoulder brand ambassador Anna Mains)
2 parts Monkey Shoulder
1 part cream of coconut
2 parts coconut water
1/2 cup chopped pineapple
1/2 part lime juice
12 ml “blood”*
1 cup ice
*Blood:
4 cups frozen cranberries
1 cup fresh strawberries (sliced)
2 cups sugar
1 cup water
Pinch of salt
Squeeze of fresh lemon
To make the blood:In a large saucepan, combine the cranberries, strawberries, sugar, water and salt and bring to a boil. Simmer over moderately low heat, stirring, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is deep red, 10-15 minutes. Strain the syrup through a fine sieve set over a heatproof bowl, without pressing. Stir in the lemon juice. Let the syrup cool completely, refrigerate until chilled, Shake before serving. To make the cocktail: Blend all ingredients until smooth in a blender. Pour into glass. Swirl a little “blood” on top. Fill 10ml syringe with “blood,” insert into drink and empty syringe when ready to drink. Garnish with murder weapon and fear.
Fireside Chat (Courtesy of Dickel Bourbon)
.5 oz Dickel Bourbon
0.25 oz Lagavulin 16yr Single Malt
5 oz Hot Cocoa*
Hot cocoa:
3 Cups Whole Milk
1 Cup Heavy Cream
0.25 Cup Cocoa Powder
0.5 Cup Semisweet Chocolate Chips
2 Tbsp Butter
3-4 Tbsp Sugar (to taste)
To make hot cocoa, heat all ingredients in a pot over medium heat stirring constantly until cocoa and sugar are dissolved and the chocolate is melted. Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator. To make the cocktail, add all ingredients to a mug, stir to combine; garnish with an artisanal marshmallow.
Pumpkin Spice Lebowski (Courtesy of Reyka Vodka)
2 parts Reyka Vodka
1 part Coffee Liqueur
1 part Heavy Cream
1/2 tsp. of Pumpkin Pie Spice
Combine heavy cream and pumpkin pie spice into a cocktail shaker and shake. Add Reyka Vodka and Coffee Liqueur and shake with ice. Serve on the rocks and garnish with cocoa puffs.
