October is loaded with bar holidays, all of which culminate in Halloween or the three-day celebration that is Día de los Muertos.
This week, for instance, marks the start of both Sherry and Calvados Weeks.
We celebrate Global Champagne Day on Saturday, October 19. And Monday, October 21, is National Mezcal Day.
These recipes not only serve as seasonal specialty cocktails for October drink promotions, you can serve them into winter.
Dark Side
Recipe and image courtesy of Lustau
- 1 oz. Pedro Ximénez San Emilio sherry
- 1 oz. Rye whiskey
- 1.5 oz. Dark beer
- A pinch Salt
- A pinch Black pepper
- 2 dashes Bittermens Burlesque bitters
Show off your sherry from October 8 through October 14 with this dark cocktail. Add all ingredients to a mixing glass. Add four ice cubes. Stir to properly chill and dilute cocktail and double strain into a coupe glass.
Orchard
Recipe and image courtesy of Absolut
- 1 part Absolut Elyx
- 1 part Pear juice
- 1 part Chilled Lapsang Souchong tea
- 0.5 part Lemon juice
- 0.5 part Simple syrup
- 0.25 part Calvados
- 3 dashes Pear essence to garnish
- 1 Wheel dried lemon to garnish
Calvados, celebrated from October 9 through October 15, is brandy with perfect flavors for fall and winter. Combine all ingredients in a shaker filled with cubed ice. Shake and strain into a copper pineapple over cubed ice. Cap with crushed ice and garnish with pear essence and a dried lemon wheel.
Fig and Fizz
Recipe and image courtesy of Chandon
- 2 oz. Cold black tea
- 0.75 oz. Fig shrub or fig simple syrup
- 1 dash Meyer lemon bitters
- 2-3 oz. Chandon Blanc de Noirs
- Pinch nutmeg to garnish
Adhere to this recipe or swap the Chandon for its Moët counterpart for Global Champagne Day, October 19. Pour the tea, fig shrub and bitters into a shaker. Add ice and shake. Strain into a coupe. Top with the Blanc de Noirs. Grate a pinch of nutmeg over the top and serve.
Smoke, Mirrors and Colors
Recipe and image courtesy of Beautiful Booze
- 1.5 oz. Crystal Head Aurora
- 1 oz. Dry vermouth
- 0.5 oz. Mezcal
- Dry ice for smoke effect
Beautiful Booze created this enticing cocktail that works for National Mezcal Day on October 21, Halloween, and the entirety of autumn. Add all ingredients to mixing glass; stir. Strain into a coupe glass with dry ice. CAUTION: This cocktail uses dry ice—use with caution and DO NOT ingest.
Murderer's Row
Recipe and image courtesy of Kobrand
- 2 oz. Fonseca Bin 27
- 0.75 oz. Bourbon
- 1 oz. Fresh pear juice
- 2 Muddled blackberries
- 0.75 oz. Fresh lemon juice
- 0.25 oz. Agave syrup
- Grapefruit peel to garnish
- Blackberry to garnish
Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass. Shake and strain into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish grapefruit peel and blackberry.
Cacao Imperial Old Fashioned
Recipe and image courtesy of Ron Barceló
- 2 oz. Ron Barceló Imperial
- Shaved chocolate
- 2 drops Angostura bitters
- 3 drops Chocolate mole bitters
- 0.25 oz. Sugar or sweeten to preference
Pour Ron Barceló Imperial, angostura bitters, chocolate mole bitters and sugar over rocks and stir. Top with shaved chocolate.
Blood Moon
Recipe and image courtesy of BACARDÍ
- 2 parts BACARDÍ Superior Rum
- 1 part Monin Blood Orange Syrup
- 1 part Fresh lime juice
- Ginger beer to top
- Vampire teeth to garnish
Shake all ingredients except ginger beer with ice and strain into glass. Top with ginger beer and garnish with vampire teeth.
The Goblin
Recipe and image courtesy of BACARDÍ
- 1.5 parts BACARDÍ Superior Rum
- 0.5 part Midori Liqueur
- 0.5 part Reàl Coco
- 0.5 part Fresh lime juice
- 2 parts Dole Pineapple Juice
- Bat and/or ghost gummies to garnish
Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a coupe or Martini glass. Garnish with bat or ghost gummies.
Tropical Ghost
Recipe and image courtesy of BACARDÍ
- 1 part BACARDÍ Limón Flavored Rum
- 0.5 part Finest Call Piña Colada Mix
- 2 parts Ginger beer
- 1-3 dashes Bittermens Hellfire Bitters
- Blueberry-stuffed lychee fruit to garnish
Build ingredients in a highball glass over ice and stir to incorporate. Garnish with two blueberry-stuffed lychee fruit.
Pumpkin Spice Michelada
Recipe and image courtesy of Estrella Jalisco
- 0.75 oz. Pumpkin puree (sweetened)
- 0.5 oz. Lemon
- 0.25 tsp. Ginger
- 0.25 tsp. Cinnamon
- ⅛ tsp Chili de Arbol
- 0.25 tsp. Salt
- Estrella Jalisco to top
- Marigold to garnish
Mix ingredients together and serve in a tall glass. Garnish with marigold.
Mole Michelada
Recipe and image courtesy of Estrella Jalisco
- 0.25 oz. Lemon Juice
- 1 Tbsp. Cocoa powder
- 0.5 tsp. Sugar
- 0.25 tsp. Cinnamon
- 0.25 tsp. Chili de Arbol
- 0.25 tsp. Salt
- Estrella Jalisco to top
Mix ingredients together and serve in skull mug with burning lime shell (half lime shell, sugar cube, over-proofed rum—light on fire). Dash flame with cinnamon for sparks!
Frankensour
Recipe and image courtesy of Honey Salt at Parq Vancouver
- 0.5 oz. Bombay Gin
- 0.5 oz. Melon liqueur
- 0.25 oz. Lime juice
- 1 oz. Egg white
- 2 oz. Mint & Algae Kombucha
- Empress Gin float
- Black sprinkles to garnish
Add all ingredients except Empress Gin to shaker and shake, double strain and dry shake. Coat half rim in honey and dip in sprinkles. Works best with cold glass! Pour all ingredients in and float Empress Gin on top.