For a simple bourbon based cocktail, why not try this Haunted Graveyard Halloween cocktail.
It is perfect for a fall or halloween party as it combines, bourbon and maple for a warm you up drink.
Plus the creepy smoking rosemary adds a bit of spooky fun to your drink. Everyone loves a bit of theatre and this maple, bourbon and orange cocktail is sure to impress.
Another Friday and another halloween cocktail, because a) halloween is coming and b) I love cocktails.
This one is a keeper, well all my recipes are so that is just a stupid thing to write! I'll rephrase:
This cocktail is a fall cocktail winner. It is slightly warming, deliciously complex and the added theatre from the smoking rosemary makes it perfect for halloween.
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What goes into a Haunted Graveyard?
(I'm sure there's a joke there somewhere)
But seriously!
To make this spooky halloween cocktail you will need:
- Bourbon
- Maple syrup
- Fresh orange
- Bitters
- Rosemary stems
- Ice
- A cocktail shaker or mason jar.
The bourbon, maple syrup and bitters are shaken together with an orange slice, rosemary leaves and plenty of ice. Then strained into glasses and garnished with the smoking rosemary stem.
I don't want to use a smoking twig of rosemary.
No worries, just leave the final rosemary garnish out of the cocktail completely. You will still get a little woodsy rosemary taste from shaking the cocktail together.
If you want to garnish this with something less smoky then you can add a wedge of orange, or garnish with rosemary but don't set it on fire.
What are bitters?
Bitters are a concentrated mixture of alcohol and bitter or sour botanicals.
The most iconic bitters is angostura bitters. It has the label that is too big for the bottle. I remember it from my parents liquor cabinet and most people have seen it on the shelf in a bar.
These days though bitters are super popular and more and more varieties are becoming available. The flavors range from normal like orange, grapefruit and lime, to downright bizarre like Mexican mole, cumin and celery.
I have a growing collection of bitters as I just love the small dropper bottles. I think it is the scientist in me.
Which bitters should I use?
For this Haunted Graveyard cocktail I would pick something like orange or grapefruit bitters. If you can find it rosemary bitters is also fabulous here.
Or if you love the woody peaty tasting bourbons, enhance that smoky taste and add a drop or two of smoke bitters.
If you are looking for other delicious Halloween cocktails check out my Witches Brew and my Witches Blood.
Enjoy x
Recipe
Haunted Graveyard Halloween Cocktail
Ingredients
- ½ cup bourbon
- ⅓ cup maple syrup
- 4 orange slices
- 4-6 splashes bitters - see note 1
- 1 sprig rosemary
- 1 cup ice
To serve
- large ice cubes
- 2 sprigs rosemary - see note 2
Instructions
- Pour the bourbon and maple syrup into a cocktail shaker. Add the ice, orange slices, bitters and sprig of rosemary.
- Shake well for at least 30 seconds.
To serve
- Add the ice to a short whisky glass and strain over the prepared cocktail.
- Garnish with a fresh stem of rosemary and use a kitchen blow torch or long match to set it on fire. (see note 2)
Notes
- To enhance the maple and bourbon pick a bitters from this list.
- orange bitters
- grapefruit bitters
- rosemary bitters
- smoke bitters
- or experiment with some new combinations.
- If the smoking rosemary isn't your thing, you can either garnish the cocktail with an orange slice or curl of zest. Or use the rosemary but don't set it on fire.
- The fresher your rosemary the less likely it is to just set on fire and the more likely it is to just smoke.
Vee says
Hiya! This looks like an intetesting cocktail, can't wait to taste the effects of the smoking rosemary!
I do wonder how much 'a slice' of orange is though, because it could be like a thin wheel, or like a whole orange cut into 6 or 8 parts. What do you recommoned?
Thanks!
Claire McEwen says
Hi Vee,
I cut the orange into a wheel shape but about 1/4 inch thick.
Hope that helps
Cx
Vee says
It does! Thank you so much ♡
Avril Blue says
I want to serve this to a large group. Do you have instructions and ingredients for a larger portion (say 10 people).
Claire McEwen says
Hi Avril,
in the recipe card you can use the arrows next to the servings to increase the servings size. This will scale up the ingredients for you.
I hope that helps.
I would suggest muddling the orange and rosemary (so squashing it about a bit) with the bourbon, maple and bitters in a jug/large measuring cup.
Then stir it all with ice for a few minutes.
Hope that helps.
Cx
Colton says
This is way way way too sweet like. It drinkable. It needs like 2 teaspoons of maple syrup for the 1/2 cup of whiskey.
Claire McEwen says
Feel free to reduce the maple syrup to your tastes.
We like the sweetness against the smoky bourbon and the bitterness of the bitters.
But like all recipes totally adapt to taste 🙂
Cx
Jeff says
How much maple syrup do you use? Or do you use a maple liquer?
Claire McEwen says
I use 80ml of maple syrup (1/3 cup) for every 125ml(1/2 cup) of bourbon.
I haven't tried it with a maple liquer, I think that could be an interesting twist!
[email protected]'s Dinnertime Dish says
My husband and I love bourbon, so this cocktail is perfect! I have everything on hand to make it, so I will definitely be trying it out this weekend!
Claire McEwen says
Oh YEAH 😀 😀 😀
I hope you love it, it is one of my favourites (with and without the smoking rosemary)