As Halloween fast approaches, SB takes a look at some spooky spirits that would make a ghoulishly delightful addition to the drinks cabinet.

From skull-like spirits to smoky expressions, brands are seeking to excite consumers with haunting backstories and boundary-pushing bottlings.

Spanning Scotch, rum, gin and Tequila, there are plenty of fang-tastic options for Halloween celebrations, so stock up now in time for the weekend.

For those with a sweet tooth, there’s a pumpkin spice-flavoured liqueur that combines chocolate, while Scotch lovers can indulge in peated whiskies perfect for recreating an Old Fashioned.

Click through the following pages to discover our selection of top spirits for Halloween tomorrow (31 October). 

Dead Man’s Fingers

Price: £22 (US$28)

The creepily named Dead Man’s Fingers is a blend of Caribbean rums, with notes of saffron cake, sweet Pedro Ximénez Sherry ice cream, caramel, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and orange. The brand is owned by Liverpool-based Halewood International.

The bottle design depicts skull iconography embossed on the shoulder and sketched on the label.

The range consists of spiced rum, coffee- and coconut-flavoured expressions, along with the recently launched CBD-infused rum.

Dublin Liberties King of Hell

Price: €2,700 (US$3,000)

Dublin Liberties King of Hell was launched as part of a new range this year, which includes the 13-year-old The Dublin Liberties Murder Lane and the 16-year-old The Dublin Liberties Keeper’s Coin.

Each expression represents a legendary 17th or 18th century story from the distillery’s home in the Liberties district of Dublin.

The 27-year-old Dublin Liberties King of Hell is the pinnacle of the collection and has been matured in first-fill Bourbon casks. It was finished in rare Bordeaux Premier Cru casks and bottled at 46% ABV. King of Hell is limited to 50 bottles in the initial batch release.

Mozart Chocolate Cream Pumpkin Spice Liqueur

Price: £15 (US$20)

Mozart Distillerie’s Mozart Pumpkin Spice melds chocolate, caramel, pumpkin juice, cinnamon, clove, vanilla and a little chilli. It is bottled at 15% ABV.

The bottle, suitable for Halloween celebrations, has been designed to emulate a pumpkin.

Kraken Black Spiced Rum

Price: US$21

Caribbean spiced rum brand Kraken is distilled in Trinidad and Tobago and enriched with a blend of 13 secret spices.

The expression is named after the kraken, a mythical giant squid-like sea monster. The bottle has a rendering of the actual giant squid with a reference to its scientific name, Architeuthis Dux.

The story goes that many years ago in the Caribbean islands, a ship carrying a large quantity of black spiced rum mysteriously disappeared. It is rumoured that the ship was attacked by the Kraken, a legendary sea monster known for its deadly tentacles and razor sharp teeth.

The Walking Dead Bourbon

Price: US$36.99

The Walking Dead Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey has been launched under Spirits of the Apocalypse – a “strategic alliance” between Diageo and Skybound Entertainment, the firm behind The Walking Dead comic series.

Available in the US, the Bourbon is recommended enjoyed neat, on the rocks or in whiskey cocktails.

Spirits of the Apocalypse plans to “share new spirits with ‘Walkers’ and those who love them”.

Famous Grouse Smoky Black

Price: £14 (US$18)

Described as “smooth and complex”, Smoky Black is made with a “rare” peated malt and has hints of dried fruit and a “long, sweet and smoky” finish.

This year, brand owner Edrington launched a refreshed packaging design for its Smoky Black expression, which champions the black grouse.

A new advert for Smoky Black in the UK features a grouse bird as it takes a midnight stroll in the mountains. In the clip, a full moon is revealed upon which the grouse is transformed into a “darker and smokier feathered version”.

Kah Tequila

Price: £45 (US$58)

Skulls are a common theme among our pick of top spirits, with this calavera-shaped (sugar skull) Tequila taking inspiration from the Mexican celebrations of Day of the Dead (Día de Muertos in Spanish) on 2 November.

Owned by Amber Beverage Group, the 100% blue agave Kah Tequila range consists of blanco, reposado and añejo expressions.

The word ‘Kah’ translates to ‘life’ in the ancient Mayan language.

Wildcat Gin

Price: £28 (US$36.50)

Bottled at 41.5% abv, Wildcat Gin is described as a “contemporary” gin, featuring a cat’s claw root botanical that’s said to add a “whisper of spiced citrus to a classic juniper taste”.

The story behind Wildcat Gin dates back to the 18^th century, when captain Dudley Bradstreet arrived in London and plotted to secretly sell gin when it had been prohibited.

Bradstreet hung a black cat sign over his window to let people know that by knocking three times, gin would be dispensed once money was placed in the cat’s mouth.Cat signs then began to appear across the city as more illicit gin distillers set up their own lucrative businesses.

Wildcat recently added a bramble-flavoured variant to its range, which comes with a spooky story about the cursed bramble fruit. According to the brand, the devil himself cursed the bramble bush in a fit of rage after landing on its prickly thorns. From that day until now, it’s said that no one should dare to consume brambles after 29 September.

Smokehead

Price: £38 (US$49)

Ian Macleod Distillers’ Smokehead Islay Scotch brand would make a macabre addition to any Halloween party.

The 43% ABV bottling is said to be “salty and seaweedy, peppery and peaty, smoky and sweet”. It is recommended served in a Smoked Old Fashioned.

The Smokehead range also includes Smokehead High Voltage (58% ABV) and Smokehead Sherry Bomb (48% ABV).

Johnnie Walker Blue Label Ghost & Rare

Price: £275 (US$345)

Launched in 2017, the Johnnie Walker Blue Label Ghost & Rare collection highlights whisky from closed distilleries and other “incredibly rare” liquids.

The latest blend, Johnnie Walker Blue Label Ghost and Rare Glenury Royal (43.8% ABV), features whisky from Glenury Royal “at its heart”.

The Highland distillery was founded in 1825 by Captain Robert Barclay, a member of the British Parliament and the first man to walk one thousand miles in one thousand hours.

The distillery was destroyed by a fire just a few weeks after opening, but later became one of only three Scottish distilleries to hold a royal title. Glenury Royal eventually closed in 1985.

The latest blend follows the launch of Johnnie Walker Blue Label Ghost and Rare Port Ellen and Johnnie Walker Blue Label Ghost and Rare Brora.