Halloween: the Early Bird Discount on top of every other discount, and Flavour Blaster gifts, until 23:59 on Wednesday 28 October.

Halloween, Saturday 31 October

Halloween cocktails: smoke, skulls and potions

Until 23:59 on Wednesday 28 October, the Early Bird Discount comes off the goods you add to your basket from this page. Today it is 7%, on top of every other discount. With a Flavour Blaster, the free gift goes into your basket automatically.

See the equipment

Early Bird Discount

Order early, pay less

The discount applies to items added to your basket from this page or from the newsletter links, and shows in the basket as a separate line. It stays at 7% until Monday 19 October, then drops one point at a time to 2% on Wednesday 28: the earlier you order, the more time your goods have to arrive before the 31st.

On top of every other discount

It replaces nothing: it adds to prices already on offer, to The more you buy, the less you pay (4 pieces -5%, 6 -7%, 8 -10%, on the same item), to the welcome gift, coins and coupons, and to the Flavour Blaster gifts.

  1. 16 to 19 October -7%
  2. 20 and 21 October -6%
  3. 22 and 23 October -5%
  4. 24 and 25 October -4%
  5. 26 October -3%
  6. 27 and 28 October -2%

Closes at 23:59 on Wednesday 28 October. Time left:

11 days 01 hours 49 minutes 27 seconds

Flavour Blaster gifts

Flavour Blaster: free 16 to 28 October

One free gift for every Flavour Blaster in the basket. It goes in automatically, at zero cost, while stock lasts, and adds to the Early Bird Discount.

Recipes

Six Halloween cocktails, with specs and sources

The specs are those of the source. Where it says PROBAR suggestion, the equipment pairing is ours and the source does not mention it. No dry ice in the glass: the cloche and the bubble are enough for the smoke.

Ghost of Smokey Joe

Source: John Champion, recipe published by Difford's Guide

  • 25ml rye whiskey, 100 proof
  • 20ml dry vermouth
  • 15ml Bénédictine
  • 1 dash absinthe
  • 1 dash Angostura
  • 2.5ml peated single malt, layered on top

Stir the first five in the mixing glass with ice, strain into a chilled Nick & Nora, then layer the peated malt on the surface.

There is no garnish in the glass: the garnish is the smoke. The drink arrives under the cloche and the cloche lifts at the table. It is the only recipe on the list where the source itself calls for the cloche.

Equipment: Smoking Gun Pro, Metal Cold Smoker for Cocktails and Food, Smoking Cloche in Glass with Valve for a Smoking Gun, Whisky Smoking Sawdust Lacor Smokey 100g, for Smoke Infusers

The cloche technique, video by the maker, Breville

Black Manhattan

Source: Todd Smith, San Francisco, Difford's Guide version

  • 60ml rye whiskey, 100 proof
  • 30ml Averna amaro
  • 1 dash Angostura aromatic bitters
  • 1 dash Angostura orange bitters

Stir in the mixing glass with ice, fine strain into a chilled coupe, maraschino cherry.

The black comes from the Averna, with no colouring. PROBAR suggestion: smoke under the cloche with whisky wood essence, the cloche lifted in front of the guest.

Equipment, with the PROBAR suggestion: Portable Smoke Infuser, Cold Smoking, 700g, Smoking Cloche in Glass with Valve for a Smoking Gun, Whisky Smoking Sawdust Lacor Smokey 100g, for Smoke Infusers

Video by Anders Erickson

Zombie

Source: Don the Beachcomber, Hollywood, 1934, Simon Difford's version

  • 30ml Cuban rum aged 3 years
  • 20ml aged pot still overproof rum
  • 15ml overproof Jamaican rum
  • 15ml falernum
  • 45ml pineapple juice
  • 20ml fresh lime juice
  • 10ml fresh pink grapefruit juice
  • 5ml grenadine
  • 2.5ml cinnamon syrup
  • 2.5ml passion fruit syrup
  • 4 dashes absinthe
  • 1 dash Angostura

Blend at low speed without ice, then add about 200ml of crushed ice and blend again. Pour unstrained into the tiki mug, with mint and a straw.

Three rums, two of them overproof: it is the strongest drink on the list, one per guest as tiki tradition has it, and no flame on top. PROBAR suggestion: the Flavour Blaster aroma bubble on the rim of the skull mug.

Equipment, with the PROBAR suggestion: Skull Mug 500ml, Skull Stone, Hand Painted Ceramic, Skull Tiki Mug 300ml, Carved Log, Hand Painted Ceramic, Flavour Blaster Cocktail Gun for Aroma Bubbles and Clouds, Flavour Blaster Bubble X Solution 180ml

Corpse Reviver No.2

Source: Harry Craddock, The Savoy Cocktail Book, 1930, Difford's Guide version

  • 22.5ml London dry gin
  • 22.5ml triple sec
  • 22.5ml Lillet Blanc
  • 22.5ml fresh lemon juice
  • 2.5ml rich sugar syrup, optional
  • 2 dashes absinthe

Shake with ice, fine strain into a chilled coupe, lemon twist expressed over the top.

Four equal parts: the jigger has to be accurate. PROBAR suggestion: absinthe sprayed into the empty coupe with the atomiser, in front of the guest.

Equipment, with the PROBAR suggestion: Glass Atomiser, Vintage Bulb Spray, 10 x 17 x 10cm, Yarai Atomiser Flask 200ml, Cut Glass, Steel Spray, Jigger Skull 90ml, Matt Anti-Fingerprint Finish

Witches' Cauldron

Source: Simon Difford, September 2025, Difford's Guide

  • 22.5ml mezcal
  • 22.5ml Liquore Strega
  • 22.5ml Lillet Blanc, chilled
  • 22.5ml fresh lemon juice
  • 2 dashes absinthe
  • 3 drops saline solution (20g sea salt in 80g water)

Shake with ice, fine strain into a chilled coupe, green olive on a cocktail stick.

Strega, the witches' liqueur of Benevento, in Difford's Guide's Halloween recipe; the mezcal brings a light smoke. The saline goes in by the drop, with a dropper.

Equipment: Dropper Bottle 100ml, Graduated Scale and Pipette, Conical Flask 150ml with Cork, Borosilicate 3.3 Glass

Satan's Whiskers

Source: Kevin Armstrong, Satan's Whiskers, London, recipe on Punch

  • 22.5ml high-strength London dry gin
  • 22.5ml fresh orange juice
  • 7.5ml dry vermouth
  • 7.5ml Punt e Mes
  • 7.5ml fresh lemon juice
  • 7.5ml sugar syrup
  • 7.5ml Grand Marnier
  • 1 dash orange bitters
  • 1 orange slice, in the shaker

Shake with ice, shorter than usual for less dilution, fine strain into a chilled coupe, orange twist.

The bar that shares the drink's name is number 29 on The Best Bars 2026, the list announced in Milan on 7 October. Ounce measures converted at 30ml per ounce.

Equipment: Combo Peeler and Citrus Zester 19cm, Stainless Steel, Citrus Zester 17cm, Stainless Steel with SBC Grip Handle

Equipment

The equipment for Halloween cocktails

Smoke: guns, cloches, wood chips

The gun loads the smoke under the cloche, the wood sets the aroma, and the cloche lifts in front of the guest.

Flavour Blaster and refills

The aromatic smoke bubble settles on the drink and bursts when the guest raises the glass. Bubble X is the bubble liquid; the aromas come in 10ml bottles.

Tiki mugs and skulls

The glass sets the scene before the drink: skulls, Moai and black tumblers for tiki serves on the night of the 31st.

Garnish: spirals, zests, tweezers

The orange spiral is cut with the channel knife, and the tweezers set it on the drink without a finger touching it.

Potions: flasks, droppers, atomisers, siphons

The lab flask at the table, the dropper for the saline, the atomiser for absinthe in the empty coupe.

Black and gold: glasses, bar spoons, jiggers

Black and gold stemware and coupes, skull bar spoons and Skull jiggers for service on the night of the 31st.

Halloween is in 14 days: the Early Bird Discount is open and today it is worth 7 per cent. Open the calendar

Scroll to Top