October might have just begun but we’re already in the Halloween mood. Whether you plan on staying in for a horror movie marathon night with your girlfriends or hosting a huge house party, it’s always great to have a few creative tipples on hand to get you in the mood.
The original French orange liquor brand Cointreau has enlisted the help of six Singaporean bartenders to share their fool-proof cocktail recipes inspired by their all-time favourite spine-chilling movies. Below, the recipes and inspiration of each concoction.
Mohd Irwan: “I was dazzled by how It changed the perception of clowns. Clowns are loved by children because of their balloon tricks and humour. When Stephen King’s It came out in 1990, it transformed clowns into subjects of fear. Kids are now more afraid of clowns than before. Clowns turned from being harmless entertainers to murderous demons. Inspired represent this transition — the childish nature of milkshakes with a bittersweet taste of horror.”
Movie Inspiration: Stephen King’s It
Tasting Notes: Savoury, sour, bittersweet with a honey-like texture — a milkshake for adults.
Darren Lim: “Saw is basically every horror movie combined into one — its storyline is sprinkled with tons of gore and suspense. While its concept is simple, Saw’s surprising twist ending captivates the audience. Just like Saw, my cocktail is a classic mixed with surprising elements giving it that unexpected twist at the end.”
Movies Inspiration:Saw
Tasting Notes: Sweet, Sour and Fruity
Pan Zheng: “The Ring is a Japanese horror movie that became an instant classic in 1991, with Hollywood even remaking it in 2002. The movie left a deep impression on everyone, especially the scene of Sadako coming out of a well. It is this iconic scene that inspired me to create this specific cocktails. The flavour of my cocktail comes from Vietnamese egg coffee, which I find delicious and fascinating, while the design is inspired by the movie itself.”
Movie Inspiration: The Ring
Tasting Notes: Creamy and cheesy, with sweetness from the Cointreau Noir and a delicious coffee aroma.
Symphony Loo: “As the latest sequel of the movie was just released, I chose Anabelle as the inspiration for my cocktail. It was Annabelle that revived the fear of dolls that we had as children. With Annabelle in mind, I created my cocktail to have refreshing childish flavours reminiscnet of lollipops and candy yet still have that acidic touch.
Movie Inspiration: Anabelle
Tasting Notes: Sweet and a little acidic, refreshing.
Riccardo Nardone: “Child’s Play is the cult horror film that introduced Chucky to the world and has become a classic of the horror film genre. The wooden knife stirrer is a reference to Chucky’s weapon of choice. Using Chucky as inspiration, we also recreated his distinctive orange hair, and greenish blue eyes in our cocktail. The lychee eye is also inspired by the Chinese belief of being able to see ghosts and unnatural beings with a third eye.”
Movie Inspiration: Child’s Play
Tasting Notes: Perfect balance of sweet and tangy: fresh and fruity.
Text: Sofia Kim/Female