Trick or treat? How about both? Leave the candy to the kids and spoil yourself rotten with these sense-beguiling area spirits. (And if you want to tuck away some candy corn for later, we won’t judge.) Whether you sip them in cocktails or savor them straight, you’ll love toasting to the spooky season with these drinks once Halloween arrives.
Stoutridge Distillery & Winery: RYEmpire
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Stoutridge’s RYEmpire, a straight rye whiskey, is all about local flavor from the Hudson Valley. While not exactly spooky, this traditional rye produced in Ulster County is deceptively delicious, thanks to a unique aging process that occurs in Hudson Valley-grown white oak barrels for a minimum of three years. It has wonderful notes of cinnamon spice, making it the perfect grown-up alternative to the much-hyped #PSL.
Albany Distilling Company: Awakened Spirit Vodka
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Consider this your ultimate Halloween sip in the Hudson Valley. Distillers at ALB blend Death Wish cold brew coffee — one of the strongest on the market, and headquartered up in Saratoga Springs — with their signature vodka made from 100-percent American corn for a seriously unique libation. Just as the spooktacular name of the drink implies, this stuff is strong enough to jolt you out of any ghoulish state.
Harvest Spirits: Cornelius Applejack
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The method used to produce this applejack is just short of pure magic — curious, considering the drink emerged during a period of history in which witchy ways were hunted down. To make this Halloween-ready sip, the folks at Harvest Spirits distill their fermented cider twice, then age it for five years in American oak ex-bourbon casks. The result is wicked good: apple-tasting with a hint of vanilla and a clean, spiced finish. It’s just as wonderful on its own as it is mixed into a cocktail.
Liquid Fables: Core & Cask
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Skip the mixers for this one. Liquid Fables’ seasonal Core & Cask series is back just in time for the spooky holiday. Made with four-year-aged rye whiskey and heirloom cider, the apple cocktail-in-a-can series pays homage to the harvest season and the Hudson Valley with its 100-percent New York State apples blends. A strong oak and spice profile with a bold finish characterize this series, with an ABV ranging from eight to 12 percent depending on the flavor. These drinks are perfect for on-the-go and to have in hand at all the Halloween parties this fall.
Related: 5 Wine and Cider Tours to Take Around the Hudson Valley
