Halloween party cocktail recipes and drinks
Spooky sips that are sure to raise your spirits on 31 October
- Smokehead 'Back From The Ashes'
- Silent Pool 'Pumpgin' Spiced Cocktail
- Patrón El Diablo
- Dead Man's Drool
- Bathtub Blackberry Fizz
- Mr Black Pumpkin Spice Calypso Cocktail Coffee
- Jaisalmer Indian Craft Gin Spiced Pumpkin Cocktail
- Johnnie Walker Pumpkin Spice Sour
- Jawbox Irish Gin ‘Wednesday Addams’
- Axia Bramble
- Copalli Rum Trick or Treat Jalapeno Daiquiri
- Wildcat Gin 'Black Magic'
- Azaline Halloween Manhattan
- Four Pillars Gin 'Boo-llini'
- The Cotswolds Distillery 'Devil's Share'
- VIVIR Bramble
- Cut Rum 'Violets Kill'
- Wild Honey St James 'Other Reality'
- The Gladstone Axe 'Drop of Blood'
- The Corn Stores 'A Crimson Morning'
- The Gladstone Axe 'Scottish Julep'
- Sing Gin Blackberry Gin Fizz
- The Cotswolds Bramble
Sign up for The Week's Food & Drink newsletter for recipes, reviews and recommendations.
When you make a purchase using links on our site, The Week may earn a commission. All reviews are written independently by our editorial team.
Smokehead 'Back From The Ashes'
Smokehead's Tequila Cask Terminado Islay single malt Scotch whisky is the ultimate ingredient for a trick-or-treat party drink. This "Back From The Ashes" cocktail reveals the expression's unusual notes of smooth toffee, vibrant lime and ambrosian peaches.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Ingredients
- 22.5ml Smokehead Tequila Cask Terminado
- 22.5ml fresh lemon juice
- 22.5ml Dry Vermouth
- 22.5ml Triple Sec
Method
Fill a coupe with ice and high strength absinthe, to rinse the glass and strain out, then shake all other ingredients and double strain into a chilled coupe. Garnish with lemon peel.
Silent Pool 'Pumpgin' Spiced Cocktail
This "pumpgin" spiced cocktail blends autumnal flavours with Silent Pool's handcrafted gin which is made with 24 botanicals.
Ingredients
- 50ml Silent Pool Gin
- 25ml lemon juice
- 15ml pumpkin spice syrup
- 10ml sugar syrup
Method
Shake and double strain into a Nick & Nora glass.
Patrón El Diablo
A real devil of a cocktail from Mexican tequila brand Patrón.
Ingredients
- 45ml Patrón Silver
- 30ml fresh lime juice
- 30ml ginger beer
- 7.5ml crème de cassis
- Lime wedge for garnish
Method
Combine all ingredients except ginger beer in a cocktail shaker and shake with ice to chill. Strain onto fresh ice in a Collins glass. Top with ginger beer and drizzle cassis over the top. Garnish with a lime wedge.
Ballie Ballerson 'Dead Man's Drool'
Known for their playful drinks, the team at ball pit cocktail bars Ballie Ballerson have created the "Dead Man's Drool" – a Halloween tipple packed with tropical flavours, pairings of cherry rum with apricot brandy, and finished with pineapple juice and grenadine.
Ingredients
- 50ml Dead Man's Fingers cherry rum
- 12.5ml apricot brandy
- 12.5ml grenadine
- 25ml lime juice
- 20ml pineapple juice
- 20ml mango juice
- Ice: cubed and crushed
- Glass: Sling
Method
Add all ingredients into a shaker with cubed ice. Shake until combined. Fill glass with crushed ice and strain into glass. Garnish with some spooky eyeball sweets.
Bathtub Blackberry Fizz
Handcrafted from start to finish, Bathtub Gin is double-infused for extra flavour. It's used here as a base for this blackberry fizz cocktail.
Ingredients
- 50ml Bathtub Gin
- 5 blackberries
- 200ml of premium tonic
- Orange slice and more blackberries to garnish
Method
Muddle five blackberries at the bottom of a highball glass, add Bathtub Gin and half the tonic water then stir. Fill the glass with ice and top with more tonic water then garnish with blackberries and an orange slice.
Mr Black Pumpkin Spice Calypso Cocktail Coffee
Coffee liqueur brand Mr Black has added a bit of pumpkin spice into its calypso coffee cocktail.
Ingredients
- 50ml of Mr Black
- 2tbsp of double cream
- 150ml of black coffee
- 12.5ml pumpkin spice syrup
- Freshly grated nutmeg
Method
Pour the coffee into a heatproof glass then add Mr Black and the pumpkin spice syrup. Whip the cream lightly and pour it over the back of a spoon on the top. Sprinkle with nutmeg to garnish.
Jaisalmer Indian Craft Gin Spiced Pumpkin Cocktail
For this creation by Jaisalmer Indian Craft Gin you have to make the pumpkin syrup first then use it with the other ingredients to create the cocktail.
Ingredients
- 50ml Jaisalmer Indian Craft Gin
- 25ml pumpkin and cinnamon vanilla syrup
- 20ml lemon juice
- Garnish: cinnamon sticks
Method to make the pumpkin syrup
Marinate cubed pumpkin in a container with sugar syrup, vanilla pods and cinnamon sticks. Muddle together to extract the water from the pumpkin, sieve and bottle.
Method to make the cocktail
Add all ingredients to a Boston glass, shake, and double strain into a Martini glass. Garnish with cinnamon sticks.
Johnnie Walker Pumpkin Spice Sour
Using Johnnie Walker Black Label blended Scotch whisky as a base, the pumpkin spice sour Halloween cocktail is served in a chilled coupette glass. A recipe is also included for making your own pumpkin spice cordial at home – a sustainable way to use up the pumpkin after carving.
Ingredients
- 50ml Johnnie Walker Black Label
- 30ml pumpkin spice cordial (below)
- 10ml lemon juice
- 1tsp honey
- 10ml egg white
For the pumpkin spice cordial
Chop and juice pumpkin pieces in a centrifugal juicer (like an apple). If you don’t have a centrifugal juicer, then ensure you use a high-powered blender to blend steamed/boiled pumpkin to a velvety-smooth texture. Otherwise, it will break up when combined with other ingredients. Per 250ml of pumpkin juice, add: 100g sugar, 1tsp mixed spice (cinnamon, cardamom, star anise, all spice dram), 0.5tsp citric acid. Stir to dissolve and strain through a cloth.
Method
Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker and fill shaker with ice. Close shaker and shake for 15 seconds. Fine strain into the chilled coupette glass. Garnish with lemon peel and enjoy.
Jawbox Irish Gin ‘Wednesday Addams’
Made using Jawbox Irish Gin, this Halloween cocktail was created in honour of the popular "Wednesday" series on Netflix.
Ingredients
- 50ml Jawbox Small Batch Gin
- 20ml fresh cream
- 20ml honey syrup
- 3-4 fresh blackberries
Method
Shake vigorously and double strain into a small martini glass.
Axia Bramble
Axia, an extra-dry and refreshing mastiha spirit, is a recent addition to the white spirits category. Here it's used as a base for a Bramble cocktail.
Ingredients
- 45ml Axia Extra Dry Mastiha
- 30ml lemon juice
- 12.5ml sugar syrup
- 12.5ml blackberry liqueur
- Garnish: one blackberry
Method
Shake over ice and fine strain into a glass filled with crushed ice. Top with blackberry liqueur and garnish with a halved blackberry.
Copalli Rum Trick or Treat Jalapeno Daiquiri
A delicious cocktail for Halloween created by the team from sustainably-crafted Copalli Rum.
Ingredients
- 60ml Copalli White Rum
- 30ml rich simple syrup
- 1 jalapeño slice
- 30ml fresh lime juice
- Garnish: one ice cube and a lime wheel
Method
Served in a rocks glass: with one large cube Garnished with lime wheel and a thin slice of a jalapeño.
Wildcat Gin 'Black Magic'
Wildcat Gin has prepared for its Halloween party by creating a range of devilishly delicious cocktails. One of the spooky mixes on the menu is the "Black Magic", made using Wildcat Bramble Gin.
Ingredients
- 25ml Wildcat Bramble Gin
- prosecco
- fresh blackberries
- a lemon twist
Method
Add ice to a wine glass followed by 25ml of Wildcat Bramble. Top up with prosecco and garnish with a handful of berries.
Azaline Halloween Manhattan
This seasonal twist on the classic Manhattan gets its blood-red hue from Azaline sweet vermouth, whose depth of colour comes from Burgundian blackcurrants and Persian saffron. The latter also adds a rich autumnal smokiness that complements the whisky.
Ingredients
- 50ml bourbon whisky
- 25ml Azaline red vermouth
- 1 barspoon of maraschino liqueur
- Two dashes of aromatic bitters
Method
Add the bourbon, vermouth, maraschino liqueur and bitters to a mixing glass or shaker with ice and stir until cold. Strain into a chilled coupe glass and garnish with a dark maraschino cherry.
Four Pillars Gin 'Boo-llini'
Four Pillars Gin has introduced a simple and naturally sweet twist on the classic to enjoy this spooky season…
Ingredients
- 100ml London Essence Peach & Jasmine Soda
- 25ml Four Pillars Bloody Shiraz Gin
Method
Perfect to build in a flute and garnished with lemon peel (if you're feeling fancy).
The Cotswolds Distillery 'Devil's Share'
Treat your guests with a Halloween cocktail using Cotswolds Single Malt Whisky.
Ingredients
- 45ml Cotswolds Single Malt Whisky
- 25ml lemon juice
- 15ml Cotswolds Amaro
- 15ml honey syrup
- 7.5ml red wine
Method
Place all ingredients except the red wine into an ice filled cocktail shaker. Shake and strain into an ice filled rocks glass. Drizzle red wine over the cocktail and ice to create a "bleeding" effect in the glass.
VIVIR Bramble
VIVIR Tequila’s bramble provides warm dark berry notes and is the perfect cocktail to enjoy with friends at Halloween and during the autumn months.
Ingredients
- 50ml VIVIR Tequila Anejo
- 30ml fresh lemon juice
- 1tbsp agave syrup
- 1tbsp blackberry liqueur (Crème de mûre)
Method
Fill a cocktail shaker with ice, and add VIVIR Anejo, lemon juice and agave. Shake until well-chilled. Fill a small tumbler with crushed ice and pour over the shaken mixture. Drizzle the Crème de mûre over the top so that it “bleeds” down into the glass. Garnish with blackberries and a sprig of rosemary for the aromas.
Cut Rum 'Violets Kill'
Cut Rum's cocktail looks the part for a Halloween do. The skull is not included though…
Ingredients
- 40ml Cut Spiced Rum
- 15ml Crème de Violette
- 25ml lime juice
- 10ml sugar syrup
- Egg white
Method
Dry shake and then shake again with ice. Double strain into a Coupe glass and garnish with two raspberries.
Wild Honey St James 'Other Reality'
The team from Wild Honey St James have playfully combined experimental techniques with refined flavours for this cocktail. "Other Reality" consists of No.3 Gin, white port, Muyu Jasmine, Aperol, raspberry and white penja pepper.
Ingredients
- 40ml No3 Gin
- 10ml white port
- 5ml Muyu Jasmine liqueur
- 15ml Raspberries & White Penja Pepper syrup
- 20ml lemon juice
- 5ml Aperol
Method
Mix all ingredients and garnish with a half Isomalt flower
The Gladstone Axe 'Drop of Blood'
This perfectly named whisky cocktail can be made using The Gladstone Axe American Oak or The Gladstone Axe The Black Axe.
Ingredients
- 75ml The Gladstone Axe (American Oak/Black Axe Whisky)
- 12ml Hotel STARLINO Maraschino Cherry Juice (to taste)
- 50ml club soda (to fill)
- Garnish: Hotel STARLINO Cherry
Method
Pour the Gladstone Axe over ice into a tall glass and add a sweet kick with the Hotel STARLINO Cherry juice. Top up the glass with club soda and garnish with a Hotel STARLINO Maraschino Cherry.
The Corn Stores 'A Crimson Morning'
Inspired by the changing colours of autumn, the "Crimson Morning" cocktail by The Corn Stores in Reading is a combination of bitter spirits and liqueurs with sweet raspberries and botanical hibiscus tea. The recipe was carefully crafted by the bar's master mixologist, whose signature drinks are designed to complement the restaurant's seasonal culinary delights.
Ingredients
- 35ml Boxer Gin
- 20ml Aperol
- 20ml Chablis
- 20ml lemon juice
- 35ml hibiscus tea
- 15ml sugar syrup
- 25ml egg white
- 3 muddled raspberries
- dried hibiscus (optional)
Method
Combine all of the ingredients in a mixer and dry shake without ice. Add ice and wet shake, then double strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with dried hibiscus and serve.
The Gladstone Axe 'Scottish Julep'
As well as the "Drop of Blood" cocktail, The Gladstone Axe also has the "Scottish Julep". Make with The Gladstone Axe American Oak or Black Axe Whisky.
Ingredients
- 25ml The Gladstone Axe (American Oak/Black Axe Whisky)
- Mint leaves
- 1 teaspoon powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons of water
Method
Muddle the mint, sugar and water in your glass. Add ice and a shot of Gladstone Axe. Give it a good stir and garnish with a mint sprig.
Sing Gin Blackberry Gin Fizz
Sing Gin, a family-run distillery based in the Yorkshire Dales, has created a number of autumn serves. The Blackberry Gin Fizz is an elegant aperitif; the inky dark fruit bleeds beautifully into the gin creating a stunning cocktail topped off with a fragrant sprig of lavender.
Ingredients
- 35ml Sing Gin
- 15ml fresh lemon juice
- 10ml sugar syrup
- handful of blackberries
- top up with soda or sparkling water
Method
Mix all of the ingredients into a flute glass and garnish with blackberries or a lavender sprig.
The Cotswolds Bramble
This bramble cocktail by The Cotswolds Distillery can be enjoyed all autumn and winter, not just on 31 October.
Ingredients
- 50ml Cotswolds Dry Gin
- 25ml lime juice
- 12.5ml sugar syrup
- 12.5ml crème de mûre
Method
Place gin, lime and sugar into an ice-filled shaker, shake and strain into an old fashioned glass filled with crushed ice. Drizzle crème de mûre through the ice. Garnish with fresh blackberries and a wedge of lime.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
China tries to bury deadly car attack
Speed Read An SUV drove into a crowd of people in Zhuhai, killing and injuring dozens — but news of the attack has been censored
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Senate GOP selects Thune, House GOP keeps Johnson
Speed Read John Thune will replace Mitch McConnell as Senate majority leader, and Mike Johnson will remain House speaker in Congress
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Patriot: Alexei Navalny's memoir is as 'compelling as it is painful'
The Week Recommends The anti-corruption campaigner's harrowing book was published posthumously after his death in a remote Arctic prison
By The Week UK Published
-
One great cookbook: 'The Zuni Café Cookbook' by Judy Rodgers
The Week Recommends A tome that teaches you to both recreate recipes and think like a cook
By Scott Hocker, The Week US Published
-
How to make the most of your leftover pumpkins
The Week Recommends As the Halloween fun wraps up, snap up pumpkins still on sale and don't leave your jack-o-lanterns to rot
By Tess Foley-Cox Published
-
Stay sharp with the country's best knife shops
The Week Recommends A dull knife is a kitchen's worst nightmare
By Scott Hocker, The Week US Published
-
5 online spice shops that will breathe life into your cooking and baking
The Week Recommends Accessing fresh spices does not have to be a grind
By Scott Hocker, The Week US Published
-
5 new horror movies to jump-scare your way through Halloween
The Week Recommends A new take on Stephen King classic 'Salems Lot', a spooky take on late-night talk shows, and more
By Theara Coleman, The Week US Published
-
Gary Townsend's slow braised Moroccan spiced lamb shoulder
Recipe This melt-in-the-mouth lamb is bursting with vibrant flavours
By Rebekah Evans, The Week UK Published
-
One great cookbook: 'Every Grain of Rice' by Fuchsia Dunlop
The Week Recommends The alchemy of Chinese home cooking made accessible
By Scott Hocker, The Week US Published
-
8 new cookbooks for a delicious fall
The Week Recommends With a big ole emphasis on baking. Because it is the season.
By Scott Hocker, The Week US Published