Cocktails; they're either your favorite boozy drink to consume, or they're the bane of your existence, in which you avoid them at all costs. Not all cocktails suck, and some are even meant for special holidays; like Halloween and Day of The Dead. If you're anything like me and will most likely be spending both days with your friends, I highly suggest not showing up empty handed by bringing some, if not all of the following items to make special cocktails for both holidays.
Chivas 12 + 13 Year Old Halloween Cocktails
Double Toil & Trouble
The ingredients for this cocktail are relatively simple since it includes either Chivas 12 year old or 13 year old and nitro cold brew coffee off to the side. Serve either Chivas 12 year old or 13 year old on the rocks with a straw and have some cold brew ready to sip along with the whiskey.
Superstitious Spritz
Made with one part of Chivas 12 or 13 year old, two dashes of orange bitters, topped with soda water and an orange twist for garnish, you can now have your own spritz that doesn't involve Aperol in it.
Red Devil 13
Made with one part of either Chivas 12 or Chivas 13, two parts lillet rouge, three parts soda, and a red cherry and orange twist garnish, your friends will be highly impressed with the smoothness of this cocktail.
Beefeater Halloween Cocktail - Starry Night
Made with one and a half ounces of Beefeater, one dropper Butterfly Pea Tincture, three fourths of an ounce of lemon juice, and three fourths of an ounce of jasmine syrup with a two ounce wine topper, you build in shaking tin, ice, strain, and then top with sparkling wine.
The Eliza Jane's Lazarus Punch
“The Lazarus Punch” Halloween-themed cocktail invites guests to enjoy a hand-crafted cocktail at The Eliza Jane, while also benefitting New Orleans’ local charity, Project Lazarus. Below, please find the new cocktail that The Eliza Jane will be serving in honor of The Lazarus Ball and donating 10% of its bar sales from that night to the charity, thus making it great for both Halloween and Day of The Dead.
The recipe calls for 1.5 ounce of London Dry Gin, half an ounce of St. Germain, half an ounce of Dolin Dry Vermouth, half an ounce of lemon juice, a quarter ounce of Acqua di Cerdo (lemon citrus liqueur), and a dash of Herbsaint. Shake all of the ingredients on ice in a shaker and pour either up or on the rocks; then garnish with a lemon twist.
Crystal Head Vodka
Smoke, Mirrors and Colors (courtesy of Beautiful Booze)
Ingredients for this drink include 1.5 ounces of Crystal Head Aurora, an ounce of dry vermouth, and ½ ounce of mezcal.
Methodology includes adding all ingredients to mixing glass; then, stir and strain into a coupe glass
*This cocktail has dry ice: use with caution and do not ingest.
Violet Chachki (Courtesy of Billy Killin, Bar Manager @ Viaggio Restaurant)
Ingredients for this drink include an ounce of Crystal Head Vodka, one ounce of dry vermouth, ½ oz. lemon, and ½ oz. of simple syrup. The methodology is as follows: infuse the first three ingredients with a bag of butterfly pea flower tea (turns the drink bright purple and adds tea flavor). Shake and pour on the rocks. Garnish with rainbow candy.
Bittersweet Endings
Ingredients include two ounces Crystal Head Vodka, an ounce of Benedictine, and a lemon twist garnish. The directions are to mix all ingredients in a shaker with ice and stir gently. Strain into a chilled coupe glass.
Tanteo Tequila
Panadero Margarita
Ingredients include two ounces of Tanteo Chipotle Tequila, an ounce of fresh lemon juice, ¾ oz Light Agave Nectar, and one ounce of pumpkin puree. Directions: Combine ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake well and strain into a hollowed mini-pumpkin. Garnish with freshly ground nutmeg and cinnamon.
Tequila Corralejo
Spicy Grapefruit Sour
The recipe calls for two ounces of Corralejo Reposado, an ounce of grapefruit juice, an ounce of lime juice, ½ ounce of Jalapeño Simple Syrup, and one egg white. Methodology includes adding all of the ingredients to a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake hard to chill and combine ingredients. Strain out ice and shake hard again. Strain into your glass. Garnish & Enjoy!
Marigold Sunset
The recipe calls for two ounces of Corralejo Añejo, one ounce of pineapple juice, one ounce of lime juice, ½ ounce of simple syrup, and five dashes of aromatic bitters. In order to make this drink, add all ingredients except the bitters into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake hard to chill and combine ingredients. Strain into your glass over crushed ice and top with aromatic bitters. Garnish & Enjoy!
Vida Verde
The two drinks below will be available from today, October 25th to November 2nd at Vida Verde in New York.
Día De Los Muertos
Ingredients for this drink include barrel aged tequila, tequila blanco, Campari, and sweet vermouth. The drink is batched in every station. Pour three ounces in a mixing glass, stir, and serve in a double old fashioned glass with one large cube and an orange twist garnish.
Jump in the Lime
This drink is made with Goza Tequila Blanco, Combier Liqueur D'Orange, lime juice, and Historics Series Maderia Syrup (Madeira reduced with Sugar and Spices).
There's also Vida Verde's House Margarita Whip Shake with crushed ice. Served in a Collins Glass, topped with more crushed ice without a salt rim, squeeze Madeira syrup on top and it will trickle down slowly. Garnish with a lime wheel.
See, wasn't learning about new cocktails fun? All of them are perfect for both Halloween and Day of the Dead, thus meaning that if you drink any of them, you'll low-key be celebrating without trying too hard.