Welcome to a Halloween celebration unlike any other. This year's Top 10 Cocktails take you on a journey through rum-soaked jungles, haunted haciendas, and elegant afterlife lounges. Each drink is crafted to capture the spirit of the season, full of life, flavor, and a little bit of mystery.
➓ Black Magic
Step into the shadows with Black Magic, a haunting twist on the classic 'Stinger'. This dark and elegant blend of cognac and aged rum is smooth, rich, and just mysterious enough to summon at your Halloween gathering. Perfect as an after-dinner drink or a late-night indulgence, it delivers the perfect balance of warmth and intrigue.
A touch of crème de menthe brings an icy chill, while a barspoon of Fernet adds a bitter, herbal depth that lingers like a ghostly whisper. The result is a cocktail that feels timeless yet otherworldly, sweet, minty, and just a bit dangerous.
Sip under dim light and let the spell take hold, because Black Magic is where elegance meets the eerie.
Ingredients:
- barspoon Classic Gum Syrup
- 1 oz cognac
- 1 oz aged rum
- ½ oz creme de menthe
- barspoon fernet
Instructions:
- Add ingredients to a cocktail shaker
- Add ice and shake hard for 10 seconds
- Strain into a chilled coupe glass
➒ Death Is Not The End
Embrace the afterlife with Death Is Not The End, a bold and complex sour that bridges the realms of light and shadow. With its mix of strong herbal liqueurs and a touch of tropical sweetness, this drink feels both eternal and alive, a perfect digestif for those who appreciate balance in every sip.
Fernet and Green Chartreuse create a deep herbal foundation, while Pineapple Gum Syrup and fresh lime juice add a sweet and tangy brightness that cuts through the darkness. A hint of Fleur de Sel bitters ties the flavors together, leaving a hauntingly smooth finish that lingers like an echo from beyond.
Death Is Not The End is more than a cocktail, it's a reminder that great flavor, like the spirit, never truly fades.
Ingredients:
- ¾ oz Pineapple Gum Syrup
- 1 oz Fernet
- 1 oz Green Chartreuse
- ¾ oz lime juice
- 4 Drops Fleur de Sel bitters (or small pinch salt)
Instructions:
- Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker
- Add ice and shake for 10 seconds
- Strain into a chilled glass
➑ The Walking Dead
Rise from the grave and take a sip of The Walking Dead, a dangerously smooth tiki cocktail that walks the line between paradise and peril. With three kinds of rum powering its dark heart, this drink is bold, boozy, and guaranteed to bring even the lifeless back to life.
Pineapple, orange, and lime juices add a tropical sweetness, while falernum and Real Grenadine weave in spice and depth. The blend of aged, overproof, and Jamaican black rums gives it a complex kick that lingers long after your first taste. A few dashes of aromatic bitters complete the mix, balancing the sweetness with a haunting edge.
The Walking Dead is delicious, dangerous, and just might have you stumbling like one of its namesakes the next day.
Ingredients:
- ½ oz Real Grenadine
- 1 oz aged rum
- 1 oz aged overproof rum
- 1 oz Jamaican black rum
- 1 oz pineapple juice
- 1 oz orange juice
- 1 oz lime juice
- ½ oz falernum
- 3 dashes aromatic bitters
Instructions:
- Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker
- Add ice and shake hard for 20 seconds
- Strain over crushed ice in a highball glass
- Garnish with a brandied cherry and citrus wedges and a tiki umbrella
➐ Blood Moon
When the night turns red and the air grows still, summon the Blood Moon, a rich and vibrant bourbon sour that captures the spirit of Halloween in every sip. Inspired by The Lion's Share in San Diego, this cocktail glows with bold citrus and deep spice, perfect for nights when the moon feels just a little too close.
Blood Orange Cordial and bourbon form the heart of this potion, blending bright sweetness with smooth, smoky depth. Lemon juice adds a sharp bite, while aromatic and peach bitters bring subtle warmth. A dash of cinnamon seals the spell with a comforting yet mysterious finish.
Raise your glass to the moon, and let the Blood Moon cast its crimson charm over your Halloween night.
Ingredients
- ¾ oz Blood Orange Cordial
- 1 ½ oz bourbon whiskey
- ¾ oz lemon juice
- 2 dashes aromatic bitters
- 2 dashes peach bitters
- 1 dash ground cinnamon
Instructions:
- Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker
- Fill with ice and shake for 10 seconds
- Strain into a chilled rocks glass filled with ice
- Garnish with dehydrated citrus wheel
➏ Mort du Jour
Raise your glass to the beyond with Mort du Jour, a haunting revival of Hemingway's legendary absinthe and champagne cocktail. Elegant yet dangerous, this sparkling potion walks the line between luxury and lunacy, making it the perfect choice for a Halloween toast.
Absinthe brings its signature herbal intensity, softened by the nutty sweetness of Almond Orgeat and a touch of orange bitters. Each sip opens with bright effervescence before revealing an otherworldly depth that lingers like a whisper from another realm.
Mort du Jour is a drink for those who know that even in death, there's always time for one last celebration.
Ingredients:
- ¼ oz Almond Orgeat Syrup
- ¾ oz absinthe
- 2 dashes orange bitters
- chilled dry sparkling wine
Instructions:
- Add all ingredients except for sparkling wine to a mixing glass with ice
- Stir for 20 seconds and strain into a chilled coupe or champagne glass
- Top with sparkling wine
➎ Scorpion Bowl
Beware the Scorpion Bowl, a classic tiki creation known for its bold flavor and untamed spirit. This tropical powerhouse blends rum, cognac, and gin into one hypnotic mix, offering a punch that is as inviting as it is dangerous. One sip and you will understand why it has a reputation for both pleasure and peril.
Sweet Almond Orgeat Syrup and fresh citrus juices tame the fiery blend of spirits, bringing balance to the chaos. Orange and lemon add brightness, while Jamaican rum lends warmth and depth. The result is a lush, fruit-forward cocktail that feels like sunshine with a sting.
Prepare to face the Scorpion Bowl, a drink that strikes fast, hits hard, and keeps you coming back for more.
Ingredients:
- ¾ oz Almond Orgeat Syrup
- 1 oz Jamaican rum
- ½ oz cognac
- ½ oz overproof gin
- ¾ oz lemon juice
- 1 oz orange juice
Instructions:
- Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker
- Add ice and shake hard for 10 seconds
- Strain into a chilled tiki mug or large format snifter
- Garnish with a mint and two brandied cherries
➍ Haunting Hacienda
Step inside the Haunting Hacienda, where tequila meets its darker side. This Halloween cocktail blends earthy agave with the blood-red glow of Blood Orange Cordial and the bitter bite of Campari, creating a drink that is equal parts eerie and elegant.
Fresh lime juice adds brightness and balance, while a touch of salt brings it back to familiar margarita territory. The result is a perfectly haunting harmony of sweet, sour, and bitter that lingers like a spirit that refuses to leave.
Sip slowly and let the Haunting Hacienda cast its spell, turning an ordinary night into something beautifully strange.
Ingredients:
- ¾ oz Blood Orange Cordial
- 1 ½ oz blanco tequila
- ½ oz Campari
- 1 oz lime juice
- 3 drops of 20% saline solution (or a pinch of salt)
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker
- Fill with ice and shake for 10 seconds
- Strain into a glass filled with ice
➌ Whitewalker
From the frozen north to the warm Caribbean, the Whitewalker brings balance to both worlds. Created by Dan Rook at South Water Kitchen in Chicago, this tropical rum cocktail is as refreshing as it is haunting, blending cool citrus brightness with the comforting warmth of spice.
Aged and white rums form a smooth, layered base, while pineapple and lemon juices add lively tropical energy. Cinnamon Syrup weaves in a cozy sweetness, and a few dashes of aromatic bitters give the drink depth and mystery, like a shadow on fresh snow.
The Whitewalker is a drink of contrast, where heat and frost meet in perfect harmony.
Ingredients:
- ¾ oz Cinnamon Syrup
- 1 ½ oz aged rum
- ½ oz white rum
- 1 ½ oz pineapple juice
- ¾ oz fresh lemon juice
- 2 dashes aromatic bitters
Instructions:
- Add all ingredients to a shaker tin
- Add ice and shake for 10 seconds
- Strain into a chilled glass and top with crushed ice
➋ Dead Man's Handle
Hold on tight, because Dead Man's Handle takes you for a ride between tiki paradise and tequila fire. Created by Tiffany Kirk at Miss Carousel in Houston, this cocktail balances the warmth of agave with the bittersweet charm of Aperol, offering a drink that is bright, smooth, and just a little bit dangerous.
Almond Orgeat Syrup brings creamy sweetness that nods toward a Mai Tai, while lime juice cuts through with sharp freshness. The result is a perfectly balanced cocktail that feels familiar yet unexpected, ideal for both Halloween nights and Taco Tuesdays alike.
Dead Man's Handle proves that even the afterlife can have great taste.
Ingredients:
- ½ oz Almond Orgeat Syrup
- 1 ½ oz tequila
¾ oz Aperol
- ½ oz lime juice
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker
- Add ice and shake hard for 10 seconds
- Strain into a chilled tulip glass
- garnish with Tajín seasoning (a blend of lime, ground mild chilli peppers, and salt)
➊ Zombie
At the top of the Halloween cocktail list reigns the Zombie, Don the Beachcomber's legendary creation that has both thrilled and terrified drinkers since the 1930s. This notorious tiki classic is not for the faint of heart, with three types of rum and a mix of bold tropical flavors that bring the dead to life. Don himself limited guests to only two per night, and for good reason.
Jamaican, Puerto Rican, and overproof 151° rums form the potent core of this drink, while Real Grenadine, Cinnamon Syrup, falernum, and citrus juices create a complex storm of sweetness, spice, and tang. A hint of absinthe and aromatic bitters adds a haunting depth that lingers long after the last sip.
Prepare yourself for the Zombie, a cocktail so powerful it might just wake the dead.
Ingredients:
- ½ oz Real Grenadine
- ½ oz Cinnamon Syrup
- 1 ½ oz Jamaican rum
- 1 ½ oz Puerto Rican rum
- 1 oz overproof 151° rum
- ¾ oz fresh lime juice
- ¼ oz fresh grapefruit juice
- ½ oz falernum
- 2 dashes absinthe
- 1 dash aromatic bitters
Instructions:
- Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker
- Add ice and shake until chilled
- Strain over crushed ice into a chilled glass
As the moon fades and the spirits return to their rest, our Top 10 Halloween Cocktails leave behind more than empty glasses, they leave a trail of unforgettable flavor. From the eerie elegance of Death Is Not The End to the wild, rum-fueled chaos of the Zombie, each creation is crafted to summon the perfect mix of fright and delight.
This year, the real magic lies in our newest release, Cinnamon Syrup. Its warm spice and rich sweetness have already become the beating heart of several of these haunting drinks, from the fiery Whitewalker to the legendary Zombie. Whether you're crafting a cozy fall sour or a tropical tiki resurrection, this syrup brings depth, balance, and a hint of wicked warmth to every glass.
So light the candles, cue the eerie tunes, and raise your glass to another year of spirited mischief. With these cocktails and our new Cinnamon Syrup in your bar, your Halloween is guaranteed to be anything but ordinary.
Cheers! 🎃
