Cocktails to Die For: 6 Halloween Whiskey Cocktail Recipes
Double, double toil and trouble… Halloween is next week, so it’s time to think about what’s going into your cauldron. There’s no need to go over the top with artificial flavors and effects to feel festive, so we’re skipping the eye of newt and toe of frog in favor of ingredients that enhance the flavor of whiskey. From drinks with an intimate group, to a raucous All Hallows’ haunt, these spooky season sips will please every ghoul and ghost at your gathering.
What Makes a Great Halloween Cocktail?
Halloween-themed cocktails are known for being excessive and extreme, but sometimes novelty alone won’t carry the spirit (see what we did there?) of the season. You can employ color, aroma, garnishes, and seasonal ingredients in your spooky cocktails for a strong foundation that balances nicely with whiskey. Think blackberry and basil, warm cider, blood orange and cherry, cacao and espresso. Plus, consider your occasion: are you serving individual drinks for a smaller gathering? You’ll be able to get away with a bit more prep and presentation. Need to quench the thirst of a crowd of zombies? You might consider an easier batched drink that can be made in larger quantities. We’ve stirred up a few options in our cauldron…
Black Widow
A Blackberry Whiskey Cocktail
Blackberry + whiskey = YUM. This riff on a classic blackberry smash will send shivers of delight down spines. The deep color of blackberry combined with its tartness makes it a great fruit on which to build a Halloween cocktail recipe. Combined with fresh basil and bright lime and agave to keep it light, this would make a great pre-dinner sip.
What You Need:
1 ½ oz Brother Justus Silver Whiskey
1 oz fresh lime juice
1 tsp agave nectar
3-4 blackberries
2 basil leaves
Blackberries and fresh basil (optional) for garnish
How To Make It:
Combine whiskey, lime juice, agave, basil, and blackberries in shaking tin.
Using a muddler, gently crush ingredients until well incorporated.
Add ice and shake well.
Double strain with a fine mesh strainer the cocktail into a rocks glass with a large ice cube.
Garnish with remaining blackberries on a skewer.
Spooky Suggestion: Clip a spider ring on your garnish for some in-glass shock.
Blood and Sand
A Blood Orange Halloween Cocktail
Originally Scotch-based, this classic cocktail was named after the 1922 silent film of the same name and appeared in The Savoy Cocktail Book in 1930. With lore like that, and a build that balances smoke, fruit, and sweetness, this spooky cocktail is a sophisticated option perfectly suited for intimate dinners.
What You Need:
¾ oz Brother Justus Cold-Peated ® Whiskey
¾ oz sweet vermouth, like Carpano Antica
¾ oz cherry liqueur, like Heering
¾ oz blood orange juice or concentrate, depending on taste
Garnish with a skewered Luxardo cherry
How To Make It:
Combine the whiskey, sweet vermouth, cherry liqueur, and blood orange juice in a shaking tin with ice. Shake ingredients until chilled and well incorporated.
Double strain the cocktail into a coupe glass to ensure no small ice chips remain in the cocktail.
Finish garnishing with a skewered Luxardo cherry.
Psycho Killer
A Dark, Decadent Whiskey Cocktail
If the Talking Heads popped into your mind when you read the name of this drink, you’ll be delighted to hear that the cocktail is just as funky as its eponymous song. From New York City’s famous Irish bar, The Dead Rabbit, its unexpected ingredient combination of cacao, banana, and bitter liqueur beckons the adventurous spirit. You’ll be singing “Qu’est-ce que c’est?” as you try to figure out which flavor you like best.
What You Need:
2 oz Brother Justus American Whiskey
¾ oz cocoa nib-infused red bitter liqueur, like Campari
½ oz white crème de cacao, like Marie Brizard
½ oz banana liqueur, like Giffard Banane du Brésil
2 dashes of absinthe
How To Make It:
Combine the whiskey, cocoa nib red bitter liqueur, banana liqueur, and white cream de cacao liqueur, and absinth in a shaking tin with ice. Shake ingredients until chilled and well incorporated.
Double strain into a chilled Nick and Nora or coupe glass.
Spooky Suggestion: While this cocktail doesn’t need a garnish, we find a jelly eyeball to be particularly fitting.
Grave Digger
A Whiskey Espresso Cocktail
This indulgent sip is the perfect after-dinner drink – after all, Oreos and vanilla cream sound like a delicious dessert to us. This one pushes the boundaries of a traditional espresso martini; the cookies and cream on top take into Halloween-themed cocktail territory, without making the drink itself feel gimmicky (unless you want to add a tiny shovel – then it’s gimmicky in the best way).
What You Need:
1 ½ oz Brother Justus American Whiskey
¾ oz coffee liqueur, like Borghetti or Mr. Black
½ oz orange liqueur, like Cointreau or Grand Marnier
1 oz freshly brewed espresso (allowed to cool)
Crushed Oreos
Vanilla cream cheese foam (recipe below yields ~1.5L)
How To Make It:
Combine 1 whole vanilla bean, 2 tsp vanilla extract, 16 oz cream cheese, 10 oz + 1 tsp heavy cream, ¼ cup whole milk, and ¾ cup while sugar in a blender and blend on high for 20 seconds until smooth and incorporated into a foam-like texture.
Pour foam into an airtight container; label, date, and refrigerate! Foam will keep in refrigerator for up to 10 days.
Combine whiskey, orange liqueur, coffee liqueur, and espresso in a shaking tin with ice. Shake ingredients until chilled and well incorporated.
Double strain into a chilled coup or martini glass.
Finish garnishing with a generous amount of whipped cream and top with crushed Oreos.
Spooky Suggestion: Add a tiny shovel so your guests feel like they’re moonlighting as Viktor Frankenstein.
Witch’s Brew
A Warm Apple Cider Whiskey Cocktail
This one’s for a big gaggle of ghouls before you head out on the town, or when you return after a chilly evening of haunting. This big batch Halloween cocktail is warm and cozy, and we already know that mulled cider and baking spices pair perfectly with our American Whiskey.
What You Need: (Makes ~12 Cocktails)
½ gallon apple cider
3 star anise pods
10 cardamom pods
3 whole cinnamon sticks
10 whole cloves
Peel of 1 orange
Peel of 1 lemon
1 whole nutmeg, cracked
2 ¼ cups Brother Justus American Whiskey
Vanilla cream cheese foam (recipe above) or whipped cream and ground nutmeg for garnish
How To Make It:
Combine the ½ gallon cider and all spices in a large pot and bring to a boil
Once boiling, turn down your heat to let the mixture simmer for 20 minutes.
Turn off the heat and let cool slightly before running through a fine mesh strainer to remove spices.
Keep warm until ready to use.
When ready to serve, heat your serving mug with hot water, discarding after 10 seconds.
Add 5 oz mulled cider and 1 ½ oz whiskey to your mug. Add a layer of vanilla cream cheese foam or whipped cream on top, then grate fresh nutmeg over the top.
Blood Bags
A Punchy Halloween Cocktail
And sometimes, you just need to lean into the theme to please all creatures of the night. It’s the presentation that makes this one most memorable; you can get blood bags for drinks online or at some party specialty stores, and you’ll have a blast filling them with syringes. Without sacrificing thoughtful flavor pairing for novelty, this is “A-Positive” sip (#sorrynotsorry) that will make your guests scream with delight.
What You Need: (Makes ~10 Cocktails)
2 cups Brother Justus Silver Whiskey
3 ¾ cups fruit punch
1 ¼ cups fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon orange bitters
Blood Bags for serving – we like these best!
How To Make It:
Combine all ingredients in a pitcher and mix thoroughly.
Fill blood bags according to package directions (we recommend filling each about half-way to avoid over-filling initially, then adding the rest of the mixture in smaller doses).
Chill until ready to serve.
Other Tips for Hosting a Halloween
Cocktail Party
Veering into the more practical side of things, good prep work will take your Halloween party cocktails to the next level.
Check out these tips from our bar team:
Juice your citrus as close to serving time as possible. Fresh citrus is best citrus.
Chill your glassware before guests arrive. A frosty glass will help keep drinks cool without having to add ice, which will dilute a drink.
Keep warm cocktails warm, rather than repeated boiling/reheating them. A crock pot on “warm” does wonders, or just leave a pot on the stove over low heat.
Use a fine mesh strainer where appropriate. Yes, it’s spooky season, but we don’t need particulates popping out to scare us in our drinks.
Prepare your garnishes ahead of time. If you’re going all out, take the time to prep your garnishes and store where appropriate, covered to keep them fresh.
For your batch whiskey cocktails, always taste as you go to make sure the ratio of ingredients to whiskey is appropriate.
Raise a Glass to Spooky Season
Memorable Halloween cocktails don’t mean you have to sacrifice quality ingredients or flavor pairing for theatrics. The excitement will be in the taste if you’re thoughtful in your use of seasonal elements and occasion. Whether the Black Widow or Psycho Killer, Witch’s Brew or Blood Bag, pick your favorite based on your Halloween plans, and Brother Justus American Whiskey will take it to terrifyingly delicious heights. Find your bottle at a store near you in Minnesota or Illinois, order online at brotherjustus.com/shop, or drop into the Bottle Shop Thursdays and Fridays, 2-6pm.
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