5 Spooky-Themed Whiskies Perfect for Halloween

As we approach Halloween and ‘Spooky Season’ what better way to get into the ghostly spirit, than by looking at several delicious whiskies with spooky themes?

By Greg Dillon

Greg Dillon is the founder of GreatDrams.com, an award-winning independent bottler. A whisky writer and author of The GreatDrams of Scotland, his work focuses on authenticity, production, and whisky as something to be shared.

As the nights begin to draw in, the wind turns nippier, and the scent of pumpkin spice latte intensifies in the air, it can only signify one thing – ‘Spooky Season’ is coming.

I personally love this time of year. It’s not too hot and it’s not too cold. Premier League football is back, TV gets better, the leaves on the trees look amazing, and as we get cosy by the fire, that first dram of whisky after a long week tastes that little bit more special.

As great as autumn is by itself, one of the best parts of the season has to be the lead up to Halloween in October. Whisky is a spirit shrouded in mystery, with more than a few ghostly myths and legends to its name. I should know, I’ve written about them a few times in the past. Who knows, if you enjoy today’s blog I might even re-visit that theme and look at a few more spooky whisky stories I’ve not yet covered.

Whether you’re hosting a spooktacular party for Halloween, or are simply settling down in front of the tele to watch your favourite horrors, a special, albeit spooky occasion deserves a special whisky with a macabre twist!

Here are 5 of the best spooky-themed whiskies perfect for Halloween this year.

Douglas Laing ‘The Gauldrons’

Think of Halloween, and autumn in general, and you think of wet, windy, and atmospheric storms blowing in off the Atlantic. This was clearly the inspiration for Douglas Laing, when they released ‘The Gauldrons’ as part of their Remarkable Regional Malts series.

The Gauldrons which literally translates to ‘Bay of Storms’ is a delicious small batch blended malt that draws inspiration from Campbeltown’s moody, ‘dark sandy coves.’ To really help get in the spooky spirit, the artwork on this dram features a golden spider’s web, and for very good reason. It was on Campbeltown’s very coves, where Robert the Bruce, in the midst of battle, was said to have witnessed a spider trying to construct a web over and over again, despite the appalling conditions. He took this as a sign to never to give in and to continue fighting.

If you enjoy your blended malts with sweet and coastal notes, this is a dram you won’t want to miss. It offers up briny maritime notes, balanced wonderfully with those light, sweet, and fruity notes that Campbeltown drams are renowned for.

Johnnie Walker Blue Label ‘Ghost & Rare Port Dundas’

Johnnie Walker Blue Label is a dram universally acclaimed, and rightly so. It offers a smooth, zingy, fruity, signature house style that is very quaffable. Blue Label Ghost & Rare releases, however, offer something entirely different.

Ghost & Rare by Johnnie Walker, is a unique, limited edition, highly exclusive range of blended Scotch whiskies from Scotland’s ‘ghost distilleries’ that are sadly no longer operational.

The dram I want to highlight today is the fifth of this unique series, coming to you from Glasgow’s Port Dundas distillery, which sadly closed its doors in 2010 and was tragically demolished a year later. It features stunning moody blue artwork on the packaging, complete with a ghostly apparition and a gorgeous gold font. Remember, Blue Label is a premium drop, and the packaging screams that.

Made from a selection of other ‘ghost’ whiskies, it offers up creamy vanilla oak notes, with subtle undertones of peach and apricot, tied together with golden honey, burnt orange, and an eerie whisper of smoke.

Auchentoshan Blood Oak

Okay, I’ll be honest, if you saw this dram on the shelf from a distance and didn’t read the name, Halloween is probably not the first thing that would spring to mind. Am I including it literally because it has the word ‘blood’ in the name? Absolutely. Do I regret that? Absolutely not, because it’s a wonderful tipple.

Released as one of a pair of global travel retail exclusives, this dram gets its name from the fact that it has taken on a stunning blood-red hue thanks to the combination of bourbon casks and red wine casks used in the maturation process.

If you enjoy a red wine cask finish, you’ll want to throw this dram straight into your shopping basket. It offers up plenty of red berry and grape notes, with a gentle warming spiciness in the form of clove-studded orange and fresh cinnamon sticks. It reminds me more of a festive mulled wine than a dram ideal for a spooky Halloween party, but come on, it’s got ‘blood’ in its name! It’s also very tasty, so what more could you want?

Auchentoshan Blood Oak

Ben Nevis Caoineag – The Weeping Spirit

If the last dram felt like a bit of a cop-out and left you wanting a more frightening whisky, don’t worry, I think you’ll enjoy what I have for you next.

Released by The Whisky Exchange in 2019, Caoineag – The Weeping Spirit was released exclusively for Halloween that year. It was named after a terrifying woman from Scottish folklore, who was said to have haunted the Highlands of Scotland since the first drops of blood were spilled on the lands.

Believed to be in mourning for the brave souls lost in battle, her blood-chilling screams and wails are said to foretell a gruesome and terrifying demise for those unfortunate enough to hear them.

Distilled in the Highlands at the Ben Nevis Distillery, this dram underwent 6 years of maturation in refill sherry butts. It provides powerful and intense sherry forward notes, coupled with peat, roasted coffee beans, dark chocolate, and sea-salted caramel. I also love the labelling, which depicts the terrifying spectre in all her loathsome glory, complete with glowing eyes.

GreatDrams ‘Embers’

Finally, a dram I’m very familiar with, it is of course one of our own, in the form of our hugely popular ‘Embers’.

Released as part of our Single Cask Series, GreatDrams Embers Peated Single Malt Islay Cask Matured Limited Edition Whisky would serve as the perfect tipple to enjoy around the smouldering embers of a campfire with friends, as you share ghost stories with one another.

Coming to you from a mystery distillery, this is a Laphroaig cask-finished dram, that really showcases the smoky intenseness that Islay expressions can impart, even just from the finishing process. One nose of this whisky and you’ll immediately be reminded of the flickering embers of a smouldering bonfire on a freezing cold night.

Offering up notes of mellow peat smoke, rather than medicinal coastal aggression you sometimes get with an Islay release, there’s more than a hint of vanilla and citrus zest, combined with smoked Cornish sea salt, honey, and the faint ghost of bonfire embers and woodsmoke. Like a mischievous presence, the oak smoke is present throughout, without taking over or overstaying its welcome.

Tags: HALLOWEENSpooky-Themed Whiskies

Greg

My name is Greg, and I’m a brand strategy consultant, writer, speaker, host and judge specialising in premium spirits. My mission is to experience, share and inspire with everything great about whisky, whiskey, gin, beer and fine dining through my writing, my brand building and my whisky tastings.