BY KARA NEWMAN .THE WINE ENTHUSIAST
Images Courtesy of Getty Images, Dead Man’s Fingers Rum, Bacardi, Tatter Sail Monster Mash
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Seeking a fun bottle to pour or gift this Halloween? This shortlist of bottles leans into the spooky side of spirits. That means plenty of creepy imagery in its branding—so, so many skulls—and an emphasis on fall-centric tasting notes, like maple syrup and baking spices. Some are brand-new bottlings, while others are familiar favorites dressed in seasonal labels (we love a good Halloween costume).
Enjoy a pour to celebrate surviving the onslaught of trick-or-treaters, or mix yourself a batch of Halloween party cocktails.
Crystal Head Vodka Bone Bottle (Canada)
Since its launch in 2008, Crystal Head vodka (founded by actor Dan Akroyd and artist John Alexander) has rolled out a number of skull-shaped bottles: clear, black, a shimmery rainbow Pride bottle, etc. But this year, just in time for Halloween, look for a new version with a chalky white ceramic coating intended to mimic the look of bone—which seems about right for a Halloween tabletop display. (Just keep it away from the kids.)
Inside the bottle, there’s crisp and neutral vodka distilled from Canadian corn and filtered through Herkimer diamonds. Mix into cocktails, spooky or not. If this speaks to you, snap one up quickly: There’s a limited run of just 4,500 cases globally.
Dead Man’s Fingers Spiced Rum – Halloween 2023 Edition (Cornwall, England)
Distilled at the Rum & Crab Shack in St. Ives, Cornwall, this bottle isn’t the easiest to find in the U.S. But it’s still good and creepy, with its black and dripping blood-red motif, plus a grimacing skull. Red droplets on the bottle necker spell out “RIP,” for extra measure.
The liquid in the bottle is the same spiced rum that’s won gold medals at both the 2022 and 2023 San Francisco World Spirits Competition: think fruitcake, PX sherry, caramel and baking spice flavors. If the label isn’t scary enough, know that the producer previously did a bespoke spiced rum collab with KFC, featuring the iconic “11 herbs and spices” from the fried chicken brand. Just thinking about that gives us the chills.
Shot Tower Skeleton Spirit Gin (Baltimore, MD)
Baltimore Spirits has some unusual offerings (read about their mezcal-inspired smoked apple brandy here). This one, made with eucalyptus, aloe vera and avocado leaf, is “more suited to cool weather than typical gins,” says co-founder Max Lents.
While the other gins in the line-up feature well-dressed folks dancing around the base of the bottle, this one features skeletons making merry. Bonus: the liquid pours a “ghostly” pale blue hue.
$37.99 Well’s Discount Liquors
Graverobber Unholy Rye (Tamworth, NH)
We’re glad to see this fun seasonal release reappear: a limited-edition rye whiskey infused with maple syrup extracted from trees that grow alongside unmarked graves. The trees in question grow on the property of Tamworth Distilling in rural New Hampshire; but the roots burrow deep into a nearby unmarked Colonia era graveyard.
The whiskey is aged (or in the words of the producer, “laid to rest”) for three years, blended with the maple syrup and bottled at 90 proof. Look for a traditional peppery rye base with hints of cinnamon and orange peel, smoothed with maple sweetness, finishing long and spiced.
Bacardi Limited-Edition Halloween Bottle (Puerto Rico)
Bacardi’s glow-in-the-dark rum bottle returns—with bats. If you haven’t already noticed, a bat is part of Bacardi’s usual logo (though not usually quite this many, and they don’t typically glow in the dark).
According to the company, when Don Facundo Bacardi Masso set up Bacardi’s first distillery in 1862, his wife discovered hundreds of fruit bats hiding in the distillery’s rafters. They were allowed to remain there—some claim the bats were recognized as a symbol of good luck, others say it’s because the bats pollinate sugar cane, the raw material for rum. In the bottle, there’s standard-issue Bacardi Superior white rum, which packs a faint citrusy aroma and relatively dry, crisp profile that finishes with white pepper heat.
$18.99 Top Shelf Wine & Spirits
Smoke Wagon Straight Bourbon – Halloween Special Edition (Las Vegas, NV)
Here’s another glow-in-the-dark bottle, with a luminescent white skull looming over a graveyard scene printed on a Halloween-appropriate orange background. Nevada Distilling has been releasing these special editions each year since 2019; this is the newest release for 2023, containing the distillery’s Smoke Wagon Straight Bourbon, a spicy, nutty high-rye bourbon.
“I specifically use the straight bourbon to keep it affordable as well as readily available, so people won’t be reluctant to actually pour them at parties,” explains co-owner Aaron Chepenik, who also designs the labels.
