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10 spooky and warming cocktails to try this Halloween
Planning a Halloween party or a bonfire night gathering this weekend, and haven’t thought about the drinks? Why not learn from the masters?
Black cocktails are taking over London this year.
We’ve listed some of the best special edition cocktails London’s bars and restaurants are serving up this Halloween.
Bartenders and mixologists across the city have been working on new drinks menus to celebrate the season, from five star hotels to fast-casual eateries, incorporating bold ingredients such as beetroot-infused gin and activated charcoal into their drinks to achieve the perfect ghoulish hue.
From Halloween candy-inspired tipples to blood-red cocktails and whiskey sours as black as night, there are plenty of ways to entertain and delight your guests with spooky seasonal drinks.
Keep scrolling to see what’s being served up in the capital this season.
1. Eye of the DJ at Bala Baya
Vampiric impersonators will want to get their fangs into this concoction from Bala Baya in Southwark.
Cabernet sauvignon is a classic cocktail base when it comes to long drinks such as Sangria, but the mixologists at Bala Baya have combined red wine with Rye Whiskey for the base of this high-impact drink. It is then flavoured with Agave Syrup, Angostura bitters and smoke bitters, before being garnished with blood-red berries for colour co-ordination.
2. The Uncle Fester at Farmacy
Plant-based restaurant and bar in Notting Hill, Farmacy, will be casting a spell over their cauldron and creating a limited edition, ‘Uncle Fester’ cocktail.
A mixture of superfoods and potions from Farmacy’s Alchemy Bar, this eerie elixir will be a blend of Tapatio Blanco Tequila, Plantation dark rum, fresh lime, organic cinnamon, activated coconut charcoal and aquafaba.
Finished with egg white and a bit of fire, this tipple might be the only thing you remember about Halloween.
3. The Blackmoon at MNKY HSE
Available all of next week from Latin American joint MNKY HSE in Mayfair, the deathly dark Blackmoon will be a heady mix of Monkey Shoulder Whiskey, Cherry Heering liqueur, dark chocolate liqueur, honey, coffee, fresh orange and whisky bitters.
4. The Glowing Glass at Conrad London St James
The Glowing Glass cocktail from Conrad St James’ Blue Boar Bar is a warming cauldron of Mozart dark chocolate liqueur, banana liqueur, spiced sugar syrup and cream. Cast an eerie light across your face with every sip!
For those looking for a teetotal celebration, a special Halloween-themed Afternoon Tea will be on available until 31 October, offering an array of creepy cakes and terrifying treats.
5. The Smashed Pumpkin at Dirty Bones
For those who didn’t make it to Dirty Bones’ Day of the Dead Halloween parties at its Kensington and Shoreditch branches last weekend, the cocktail bar is serving a fruity autumnal tipple to keep the festivities going all week.
Last year, pumpkin purée and liqueurs were the ingredients du jour for All Hallows Eve, and the trend has shown no sign of slowing down in 2017. The “Smashed Pumpkin” cocktail will also be available at all sites until 31st October, priced at £9 and made with Sugar Shine pumpkin pie moonshine, Velvet falernum liquer, lemon, pear purée, muddled raspberries, chocolate bitters, Peychaud’s bitters and a cinnamon dusting.
6. The Rübengeistern cocktail at German Gymnasium
Can’t resist Reese cups? Whether you grew up Trick or Treating or just love American chocolate, this sugary serve from Mittel-European venue German Gymnasium is sure to hit the spot.
The Rübengeistern — named after the German word for a carved pumpkin, is a nostalgic drink evoking the classic flavour combination of chocolate & peanut butter. The childlike treat combines peanut-infused Bourbon, homemade chocolate wine, a handful of mint and gomme syrup, all stirred in a vintage copper mug before being topped with chocolate coated peanuts. Setting patrons back by £11 per cocktail, this autumnal treat will be sure to warm your cockles this week.
7. The Black Cauldron at The Royal Exchange
The Royal Exchange in the heart of the financial district will be serving up a range of seasonal tipples to celebrate Halloween this year.
Once again, black cocktails are high on the agenda for bartenders and mixologists in 2017, and The Royal Exchange’s Threadneedle Bar is no exception, with its own seasonal take on a Whiskey Sour.
Look out for the Black Cauldron — made with spiced whiskey liqueur, apple juice and pumpkin syrup, and finished with a spooky slither of orange rind — which will be on the menu this week until 1 November.
8. The Trick or Treat at Plateau
Canary Wharf is pushing the boat out out with its Halloween celebrations this year. Guests can tuck into a special edition Trick or Treat tipple, incorporating Sipsmith Gin, butterscotch liqueur, basil, and lemon for £13 per drink.
As well as this, guests dining in either the grill or the restaurant on 31 October will also be offered complimentary pumpkin canapés and petit fours, while a live DJ provides the entertainment from 6pm till 11pm.
9. Pumpkin Spice cocktails at Blanchette
Few things are as ubiquitous in 2017 as autumn and pumpkin spice. The nutmeg, cinnamon and clove blend has made its way into most drinks over the last few years, and now Blanchette — with branches in Soho and Shoreditch — is serving the seasonal seasoning in its own take on the espresso martini, made with cinnamon, and vodka.
Those who prefer berries to spice blends might want to try Blanchette’s Beetroot cocktail — also available this Halloween — which combines beetroot infused gin with red currants and molasses.
10. The Chosen one at the Savoy
The team at The Savoy on London’s Strand has launched a “Cocktail of the Moment” series, celebrating the world’s most-loved books through the art of drinking. One of the spookier serves on offer is the The Chosen One; Harry Potter-inspired tipple which was launched to coincide with the 20th anniversary of the first book’s publication.
Ingredients like Star of Bombay gin, salted butter, Chablis beetroot cordial, Bénédictine, anise and silver come together in this sparkling potion-like cocktail, playfully invoking some of Hogwarts’ most distinctive flavours and famed drinks.