Photo: Bernard Weil / Getty.
Halloween is the one day of the year when you don’t have to be yourself. No matter how old you are, you’re free to be whoever (or whatever) you want. You can dress like Donald Trump, Kylo Ren, Harambe or even Ken Bone. But, you’ll probably want something to wash down all of that candy, so why not try one of these spooky Halloween cocktails:
Pumpkin Mezcal Margarita
From Mixologist Johnny Swet at JIMMY at The James, NYC
Photo by JIMMY.
Ingredients:
- 1.5 oz Ilegal Mezcal
- .5 oz Lime Juice
- .5 oz Cinnamon Syrup
- 2 bar spoons of Pumpkin Butter
Preparation:
Shake with ice, strain into a rocks glass, add orange twist, salt optional.
Fade to Black
Created by Martin McLoughlin for David Burke Kitchen, NYC
Photo courtesy of David Burke Kitchen.
Ingredients:
- 0.5 oz chartreuse
- 1 sprig of rosemary
- 1.5 oz Starr “Black Rum”*
- .5 oz ginger syrup
- .25 oz fresh lemon juice
- .25 oz fresh lime juice
- .5 oz simple syrup
Preparation: Add Chartreuse and and rosemary to glass. In a shaker with ice, combine remaining ingredients. Shake ingredients and ignite chartreuse in glass for 10 seconds. Strain contents of shaker over flame to extinguish, fill with ice. Garnish with prig of rosemary.
*Starr Black Rum – dissolve 1 tbsp of raw activated charcoal powder in 1 bottle of Starr Ultra Superior Light Rum (750ml)
Heart of Darkness
Created by Courtney Colarik for Pouring Ribbons, NYC
Photo courtesy of Paul Wagtouicz.
Ingredients:
- 1.5 oz Cimarrón Blanco Tequila
- .5 oz Koch Espadin Mezcal
- .5 oz Lime Juice
- .5 oz Agave Syrup
- 2 tsp Activated Charcoal Raspberry Preserves*
- 1 dash Bittermens Mole bitters
Preparation: Add ingredients to a tin, add ice, give a quick shake. Fine strain into glass, add crushed ice and garnish
Garnish: Serve on Black lace heart-shaped doily and charcoal sprayed orchid on top.
*Per batch: one 370g jar of raspberry preserves to 5 tsp of activated charcoal. Use the immersion blender to integrate.
Poblano Ghostkiller
From Mixologist Gil Bouhana at 1905 Lounge at HGU, New York
Photo courtesy of HGU.
Ingredients:
- 1.5 oz VIVA XXXII Reposado
- 0.5 oz Coconut Cream
- 0.5 oz Ancho Reyes Chile
- 1.0 oz Orange Juice
- .25 oz Lime Juice
Preparation: Dry, Shake and pour into a high ball or martini glass. Garnish with an Ancho Chile.
Murderers Row
Created by bar educator and bartender Andrew Seymour
Photo courtesy of Andrew Seymour.
Ingredients:
- 2 oz. Fonseca Bin 27
- ¾ oz. Bourbon (Bulleit)
- 1 oz. fresh Pear juice
- 2 muddled blackberries
- ¾ oz. fresh lemon juice
- ¼ oz. agave syrup
Preparation: Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass. Shake and strain into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with a grapefruit peel and blackberry.
Dia de los Muertos
From Travelle Kitchen + Bar, Chicago
Photo courtesy of Travelle Kitchen + Bar.
Ingredients:
- 1 oz Siete Misterios Mezcal
- 1 oz Templeton Rye
- 1 oz Blackberry Syrup
- 2 dashes Angostura bitters
- 2 dashes orange bitters
Additional Info: Day of the Dead ‘Dia de los Muertos’ is a day where mainly Mexicans celebrate their beloved ones who passed away by honoring the deceased using sugar skulls, marigold flowers, and the favorite foods and beverages of the departed, and visiting graves with these as gifts. The cocktail is made with Mezcal Siete Misterios Joven, Templeton Rye, and Blackberry syrup, as a representation that we have a little bit of everything for everyone.
