Let’s get real: ghosts, vampires and witches can’t survive on blood and fear alone – after all, even the most terrifying ghoul needs a boozy pick-me-up after a haunting night on the job. This Halloween, we’ve scared up five cocktails that are just as delicious as they are disturbing, each best savoured at the bars of their origin. Inspired by spooky landscapes, horror films and exotic spooks, these drinks are sure to inject your All Hallow’s Eve with equal parts fear and fun. Happy bar haunting!
Tales of Suspense #52 I Café Medina Truly ghoulish in appearance, this black-as-night cocktail is named for the comic book in which Marvel superhero Black Widow makes her first appearance. The drink incorporates vodka, Grand Marnier, mulled cranberry syrup and charcoal syrup with an egg white added for foamy texture – look closely and feel your heartbeat accelerate as you take in the intricate spiderweb magically spread across the foam. Equal parts sexy and scary, this festive brew makes for the perfect round of drinks to toast the Day of the Dead.
The Casey Becker I Crowbar The ‘90s generation carry fond memories of Scream, a cult classic that’s more campy than creepy yet still buckets of (gory) fun. Ghostface, with his nightmare-inducing white mask, serves as inspiration for the Casey Becker, Crowbar’s nod to the killer’s first victim. The bright pink brew combines fall and Halloween flavours like cranberry-infused gin, maple syrup and pumpkin spice, and is garnished with a single fresh cranberry reminiscent of a pearl of blood. What a scream!
Candy Cap Magic I Botanist The magic in this enchanting cocktail starts at presentation: the glass is perched inside an elegant terrarium on a bed of preserved moss. Swing open the gold-rimmed gate, and wisps of dry ice drift like moody fog. The crimson-hued drink is bold and complex, combining wild mushroom-infused Canadian rye, vermouth and spiced maple. You’ll catch subtle notes of cinnamon, sarsaparilla and anise boosting the whisky’s strong flavour, and the aromatized fog lends an added sensory thrill as it releases the earthy scent of forest floor.
Oni No Chi I Minami “Demon’s Blood” in Japanese, Oni No Chi perfectly encapsulates the dark side of Halloween. This exotic brew is appropriately blood-red in colour, and spicy on the palate thanks to pepper-infused tequila and a garnish of cloves balanced by Ginger of the Indies liqueur and Crème de Cassis. Take a sip and get ready for an exciting night – you have Demon’s Blood running through your veins, after all.
Gold Dust Woman I The Union This enchanting concoction features turmeric-infused vodka, black walnut bitters, cherry cedar bitters, gomme and activated charcoal coalescing into an elegant sipper with notes of black licorice and spice. The coupe is rimmed with edible gold dust, adding a flash of femininity to the inky blackness of the liquid within, a subtle nod to the drink’s inspiration – Stevie Nicks’ popular tune “Gold Dust Woman”. Shimmy over to The Union between October 27th and 31st to taste for yourself. Happy Halloween!
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