Friends of Empress 1908
Six Spooky Halloweekend Cocktails
It’s Spooky Season!
Discover #EmpressAtMidnight this Halloween with this selection of moody and mysterious cocktails.
Are you hosting a get together with friends? Tucking in for a scary movie marathon? Or cozying up by a campfire? No matter your Halloweekend plans, we’ve got a recipe for you…
1. Midnight Tonic
For an elevated evening in…
Celebrate the spookiest night of the year with haniyeh.nikoo‘s Midnight Tonic. This mysterious cocktail will put a spell on anyone who dares to sip it when the clock strikes 12!
Ingredients:
- 1½ oz Empress 1908 Gin
- ¾ oz Crème de Cassis
- 3 oz Pear Juice
- 2 tsp Floral or Simple Syrup
- Sliced Kumquats
- Pear
METHOD:
Shake ingredients on ice until well chilled. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with some cut Kumquat and a slice of pear for autumnal taste. Add a piece of dry ice to create a smoky effect for some extra fun! Note: when using dry ice, be careful not to let it touch your skin, and ensure all ice is melted before taking a sip!
2. WOODLAND NYMPH
For a wander in the woods…
Venture into the night with gourmetglow‘s unforgettable Halloween sip, packed with seasonal flavours and her homemade Quatre Epices Syrup.
Ingredients
- 1½ oz Empress 1908 Gin
- ⅓ oz Quatre Epices Syrup*
- ⅓ oz Caramelised Clementine Juice**
- 1½ oz Tonic Water
- 2 Dashes Orange Bitters
- Nutmeg and Cinnamon, to garnish
Method
To build the drink, add the gin, measured syrup, juice and bitters to a mixing glass with a few ice cubes and stir clockwise for 30 seconds. Strain into a glass filled with ice, top with the tonic and finish with a dust of fresh nutmeg.
*For the syrup:
- 100g sugar
- 100ml Cold Water
- 3 Cinnamon Sticks
- ¼ Nutmeg, chopped, plus extra to grate
- 8 White Peppercorns
- 2cm Ginger, chopped
For the syrup, add ½ cup sugar, ½ cup cold water, 3 cinnamon sticks, ¼ Nutmeg, 8 white peppercorns and 2 cm ginger (chopped) to a small pan and heat over a low heat to dissolve the sugar. Increase the heat and bubble for 3 minutes. Remove and allow to cool naturally to room temperature. Strain, discard the spices and store in the fridge.
*For the Clementine Juice:
- 4 Clementines, halved
For the Caramelised Clementine Juice, lay the clementine halves on a baking tray and grill until charred (or use a blow torch) Once cool, squeeze the juice and store in the fridge.
3. Empress Old Fashioned
For a scary movie marathon…
bethbierema revamps the classic Old Fashioned just in time for Halloween. Finish it off with a cube of dry ice for an extra dramatic flair!
Ingredients
- 2 oz Empress 1908 Gin
- ¼ oz Simple Syrup
- 2 dashes Orange Bitters
- Lemon Peel
- Dry Ice (optional)
Method
Add simple syrup, orange bitters and Empress Gin to a rocks glass with a large ice sphere or cube. Express lemon peel over top, drop in and stir. If looking for an extra dramatic flair, add a cube of dry ice to the glass with tongs (do not touch it with bare skin, and wait until the dry ice disappears before sipping!)
4. campfire cocktail
For a late-night bonfire…
Evenings around the campfire sharing ghost stories and s’mores are best when paired with the perfect fall cocktail. gulia_foodstories‘ Campfire Cocktail recipe (featuring toasted marshmallow syrup— yum!) is made for the occasion.
Ingredients:
- 1½ oz Empress 1908 Gin
- 3 oz Apple Cider
- ¾ oz Fresh Lemon Juice
- ½ oz Toasted Marshmallow Syrup*
- Cinnamon Stick
METHOD:
First smoke the glass. To do so, light a cinnamon stick on fire using a torch or gas burner on a stove. Blow out flames and allow to smolder. Place on a plate and cover with an upside down glass. Let sit until the glass fills with smoke. Once completed, add the apple cider, gin, lemon juice and toasted marshmallow syrup to your glass with ice. Stir and garnish with toasted marshmallow or cinnamon stick and a slice of apple.
*for the syrup:
- 1 cup Water
- 1 cup Sugar
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 8 large Marshmallows
Combine sugar and water in a pot. Bring to a boil, make sure all sugar is dissolved, reduce heat and allow to simmer. Put marshmallows on a skewer and toast until slightly burnt on the stove burner or with a lighter. Add toasted marshmallows to the simmering syrup and stir until dissolved. Turn off heat and allow to cool. Strain the mixture with a fine strainer. Stir in vanilla extract. Store in the fridge.
5. the jungle flower
For a lively get together with friends…
thewelltable has been cooking up a Halloween concoction that will have your guests talking for years to come! The tropical ‘Jungle Flower’ features sweet & fruity flavours paired with a subtle spiciness from a dash of creole bitters.
Ingredients
- 2 oz Empress 1908 Gin
- ¼ oz Orgeat (up to ½ oz if you like it sweeter!)
- ¾ oz Peach Schnapps
- ¾ oz Pineapple Juice
- ¾ oz Lime Juice
- 2 dashes Creole Bitters
- Dehydrated Lime & Mint
Method
Shake all ingredients with ice. Strain into a glass filled with crushed ice, and garnish with fresh or dried lime and fresh mint.
6. (NOT) PINK GIN & SODA
For a last minute menu…
Last, but certainly not least, dirtywhisk brings us an almost too simple sip that’s ideal for last minute celebrations. Need a moody cocktail in a pinch? Look no further than the (Not) Pink Gin & Soda!
Ingredients:
- 2 oz Empress 1908 Gin
- 3-4 dashes Angostura Bitters
- Lemon Twist
- Soda Water
METHOD:
Stir gin and bitters in cocktail shaker with ice. Strain into cocktail class filled with fresh ice.Top with soda water and garnish with lemon twist.
For last year’s round up of mysterious and magical Halloween creations, be sure to visit our 2021 blog post, and always-growing Cocktail Library. And, of course, don’t forget to pick up a bottle from a store near you, or order one online!
Sip responsibly!