20 best Halloween cocktails

All Hallows' Eve, the 31st of October, is spook night with bizarre costumes, trick-or-treat, pumpkin carving, apple bobbing and bonfires all the rage. Such Halloween traditions have ancient roots and are worthy of celebrating. We'll mark the occasion with a Halloween cocktail or three from the 20 suitably named libations below.

Black Daiquiri
With: Dark blended rum, lime juice, grapefruit juice and sugar syrup.
We say: More golden than black in appearance, this Daiquiri takes its name from the black rum (well dark brown rum) it's made from. Pungent rum notes sit well with zingy citrus.

Black Widow's Bite
With: Vodka, blue curaçao, orange juice, and orange bitters.
We say: A Screwdriver blued (not quite blackened) by blue curaçao.

Corpse Reviver No.2
With: Dry gin, triple sec, Lillet Blanc, lemon juice, sugar syrup and absinthe.
We say: Well-balanced with zesty lemon and absinthe just shining through.

Corpse Reviver No.4

With: Absinthe, reposado tequila, aromatized wine, triple sec, lemon juice and sugar syrup.
We say: Beautifully balanced with lemon acidity cleansing and offsetting sweet orange.

Dark 'N' Stormy
With: Dark rum, lime juice, sugar syrup, Angostura bitters and ginger beer.
We say: A Daiquiri made with pungent dark rum, topped and made refreshing with spicy ginger beer. Part of the Mule family – but is distinctive due to the strong flavour of the dark rum.

Devil's Soul
With: Rye whiskey, mezcal, amaro, bitter aperitivo, elderflower liqueur.
We say: Spirituous, smoky, earthy, bittersweet, floral, herbal and complex

Ghost of Smokey Joe
With: Rye whiskey, dry vermouth, Bénédictine, absinthe, aromatic bitters, and peated whisky.
We say: Herbal notes shine, fortified with rye whiskey. Smoke is courtesy of peated whisky and the garnish.

Halloween Sour
With: Dry gin, akvavit, Strega, lemon juice, egg white, and saline solution.
We say: A complex mix of botanicals with pine, peppermint and génépy.

Hocus Pocus
With: Dry gin, Antica Formula, curaçao and fernet.
We say: Bittersweet with gin's botanical complexity and orange zest freshness.

Obituario
With: Blanco tequila, mezcal, bianco vermouth, absinthe, and saline solution.
We say: Whisps of mezcal mingle with herbaceous tequila, rich vinous vermouth and delicate aniseed and liquorice.

Obituary
With: Dry gin, dry vermouth and absinthe.
We say: What a way to go. A Dry Martini with a dash of the green fairy.

Pink Witch
With: Gin, Strega liqueur, and pink grapefruit juice.
We say: How pink this witch will be is dependent on your grapefruit juice.

Pumpkin Daiquiri
With: Gold rum, lime juice, and pumpkin spice syrup.
We say: Pumpkin spice syrup works surprisingly brilliantly in an otherwise classic Daiquiri.

Pumpkin Spice Margarita (PSM)
With: Reposado tequila, triple sec, lime juice, pumkin spice syrup and pumpkin puree.
We say:: Just as the name promises, a lightly spiced, pumpkin-flavoured Margarita.

Rich Witch & Famous
With: Mezcal, Strega, red aperitivo, lime juice, and saline solution.
We say: A Naked & Famous with Strega ("witch" in Italian) liqueur replacing Yellow Chartreuse.

Spooky Tini
With: Bourbon, Irish cream liqueur, popcorn syrup, and cream.
We say: Popcorn-infused creamy whiskey. An indulgent Halloween crowd-pleaser.

Witches' Cauldron
With: Mezcal, Strega, aromatized wine, lemon juice, absinthe, and saline solution.
We say: A mezcal-based Corpse Reviver with Strega ("witch" in Italian) liqueur.

Witches' Daiquiri
With: Light rum, Strega, orgeat syrup, lemon juice and orange juice.
We say: Aniseed, sweet almond and delicate spice subtly influence this tasty Daiquiri.

Witches' Flight
With: Bourbon, Strega liqueur, amaro, and lemon juice.
We say: The sugar rim is a key to the success of this after-dinner cocktail.

Zombie
With: Overproof pot still rum, light rum, overproof aged rum, falernum liqueur, Pernod anise, pineapple juice, lime juice, grapefruit juice and grenadine syrup.
We say: Powerful funky rum and delicate cinnamon spice partially tamed by rich fruit and sweetened clove.

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