Drinks For Your Halloween Celebration
If you’re like us and love a good (and spooky) Halloween celebration, then you’re probably on the hunt for some delicious but thematic drink ideas to mark the occasion. A great Halloween drink doesn’t need to be complicated. With a clever name, delicious ingredients, and some simple decorations, you can create memorable Halloween cocktails that are sure to leave a lasting impression with your friends.
Here are some Halloween themed recipes to work into your party planning this year.
Mad River Distillers Halloween Drink Recipes
BLOOD & SAND
With a name like this, the only other reason you need to give this cocktail a try on Halloween is the unexpected ingredients.
Ingredients:
-1 oz. Burnt Rock Bourbon
-3/4 oz. orange juice
-1/2 oz. Cherry Heering
-1/2 oz. Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth
-1/4 oz. lemon juice
-Luxardo cherry garnish
Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice, then shake. Strain contents over a large ice cube in a rocks glass. Garnish with a few Luxardo cherries.
CURSED CAULDRON
Cauldron's make a great vessel for experimenting, and this cocktail recipe is the result of an experiment substituting gin in an Aviation cocktail with our Rum 44 (along with a couple other tasty tweaks).
Ingredients:
-2 oz. of Rum 44
-1/2 oz. of Maraschino Liqueur
-1/2 oz. of Creme de Violette
-1/2 oz. of lemon juice
-1-2 barspoons of grenadine (as desired for color)
Combine all ingredients in a shaker over ice. Shake well, then strain into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with a Luxardo cherry.
BLACK MANHATTAN
They say that black cats bring bad luck, but you’ll feel just the opposite drinking this dark and flavorful cocktail.
Ingredients:
-2 oz. Revolution Rye
-1 oz. Averna Amaro
-2 dashes Angostura Bitters
-Luxardo cherry garnish
Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass over ice. Stir for 8-12 seconds. Strain into a chilled coupe glass, then garnish with a Luxardo cherry.
BLOODY BELLADONNA
A drink named after the deadly nightshade, made just a bit more creepy with a red cherry drizzle.
Ingredients:
-1.5 oz. of Vanilla Rum
-1/2 oz. of Creme de Violette
-1 oz. of lime juice
-3/4 oz. of simple syrup
-2 dashes of peach bitters
-cherry juice
Combine all ingredients except the cherry juice in a shaker with ice. Shake well, then strain into a rocks glass over crushed ice. Drizzle cherry juice on top.
SALTY WITCH
This bewitching cocktail (created by Gragen Cook) is filled to the brim with enchanting flavors.
Ingredients:
-1.5 oz. PX Rum
-1/4 oz. Green Chartreuse
-1/4 oz. Sherry
-1/4 oz. simple syrup
-1 dropper of Crude Smoke & Salt Bitters
-Luxardo cherry garnish
Add all ingredients to a mixing glass with ice. Stir for about 20 seconds. Strain contents into a large cordial glass, then garnish with a Luxardo cherry.
BLOOD MOON MARTINI
With a blood red color and simple ingredients, this cocktail is an easy way to serve a gory Halloween vibe.
Ingredients:
-1.5 oz. of Straight Bourbon
-1 oz. of pomegranate (or beet) juice
-1/2 oz. of lemon juice
-2 dashes of orange bitters
Combine all ingredients in a shaker over ice. Shake well, then strain into a martini or coupe glass. Garnish with a slice of blood orange.
CANDY CORN SHOT
Is it even Halloween without candy corn? While this is the kind of shot that requires a little planning, it’s very simple and very fitting for the holiday.
Ingredients:
-750ml bottle of Rum 44
-10 oz. candy corn
-whipped cream
To make this shot, you’ll need to plan at least a day in advance. Infuse a bottle of Rum 44 by adding 10 oz. of candy corn to the bottle. Shake the candy corn in the closed bottle every couple of hours. After it has infused for a day, the Rum 44 will have a nice orange color. Strain the rum to remove any small pieces of candy that has settled on the bottom (a cheese cloth may be preferred). Then simply pour an ounce into a shot glass, top with whipped cream, and enjoy! If you feel inclined, add a piece of candy corn as garnish.
Other red or green colored cocktails would make a great and ghoulish option with some simple decorations to accompany it. You can even give your cocktail a fun name, like taking a Kingston Negroni and renaming it a Nosferatu Negroni just for the occasion.
When it comes to Halloween, decorations are a great way to give your cocktails a creepy presentation. Surround your bar or serving table with decorations like witch hats, toy or paper bats and spiders, or plastic skeletons. You could even float a gumball eye in the middle of your cocktail!
If you need supplies, be sure to stop by our Burlington Tasting Room, where you can purchase bottles of our spirits, bitters like Crude Smoke & Salt Bitters, and even Luxardo cherries. For more drink inspiration, be sure to follow us on Instagram and Facebook to catch our cocktail videos, or visit our website to explore even more recipes. Cheers!
Written by Brianne Lucas and originally published on October 25, 2022. Updated on October 17, 2023.
