Next up in our series of spooky Halloween drinks is this Zombie Kiss – a smooth scotch with a sour bite. A fun Halloween take on a Scotch Sour – and a few fun alterations you can make to customize it for your party.
My brother is an avid Scotch fan and I’m still trying to develop a palate for it (it’s my duty to my Scottish grandparents to at least give it an honest try) so cocktails like this are helping me slowly adapt.
Scotch is similar to bourbon in taste and color, and is classified as a “whisky” in that it’s distilled from fermented grain mash to a minimum alcohol percentage of 40%. However, a few key differences distinguish it from bourbon, rye, or whiksey.
Namely, Scotch is made in Scotland and from malted barley (not corn like bourbon is) – but what many people don’t know is that it must be aged in oak casks for at least 3 years. It can be up to 94.8% alcohol while bourbon can only be 80%
I’ve warmed myself up to bourbon, but Scotch is the next level. It has that same slightly sweet, earthy taste as bourbon but it has more of a bite and is arguably more complex.
A good scotch sour curbs a bit of the bite from the scotch. The sour note grabs your attention first, then lets you settle in to the sharp smokiness of the scotch and then mellows back out with a lingering lemon flavor.
There are a couple of different ways to enjoy this – the version here in the pictures is just good scotch and lemon juice (follow the recipe) but you can also add a bit of simple syrup for sweetness or a frothed egg white for a pleasant texture and mouthfeel.
Tip: I often order my liquor from Drizly because they have a quick delivery time (sometimes within 40 minutes) and no expensive mark-ups. Purchasing from them supports local retailers, too. You can order the Scotch needed for this recipe from them.
Ingredients for Scotch Sour Cocktail
- Scotch
- Lemon Juice
- Simple Syrup, optional
- Egg White, optional
- Green dye, optional <– this set of food coloring has lasted me forever and I love that it creates highly saturated colors with just a drop
Scroll down to the printable recipe card for full measurements.
This makes two scotch sours.
Kitchen Tools You May Find Helpful
- Cocktail shaker
- Liquid Measure
I really loved using my gorgeous Omishome Bartending Kit to make this recipe. The pretty bamboo holder contains all of the tools you need to make perfect cocktails, and those pretty gold tools add a touch of class to your home bar set-up.
How to Make Zombie Scotch Sour
To garnish your glass with that dripping green goo, combine corn or simple syrup with green food dye in a small bowl and use a spoon to evenly distribute the syrup along the inside rim of your tumblers.
If you want to stop the drips just at the top, use a small amount of the syrup and you can also pop the glasses in the freezer until serving.
In your cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine the scotch, lemon juice and egg white. Shake until frothy and well chilled.
Sweeten to taste with simple syrup, as desired, and then pour into your tumblers.
Pin this delicious take on a scotch sour cocktail:
Grab your free printable recipe for our Zombie cocktail:
Zombie Kiss
This Zombie Bite cocktail grabs your attention with a sour note, then lets you settle in to the sharp smokiness of the scotch and then mellows back out with a lingering lemon flavo
Ingredients
- 4 oz scotch
- 2 oz lemon juice
- 1 oz simple syrup, optional
- 1 egg white, optional
- Corn syrup or simple syrup, optional
- Green dye, optional
Instructions
- To garnish your glass with that dripping green goo, combine corn or simple syrup with green food dye in a small bowl and use a spoon to evenly distribute the syrup along the inside rim of your tumblers.
- If you want to stop the drips just at the top, use a small amount of the syrup and you can also pop the glasses in the freezer until serving.
- In your cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine the scotch, lemon juice and egg white. Shake until frothy and well chilled.
- Sweeten to taste with simple syrup, as desired, and then pour into your tumblers.
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What do you think? Are you a scotch drinker or are you still struggling to develop a taste for it (like me!)?
For another delicious classic, check out my Brandy Milk Punch recipe OR check out the full collection of all 20+ Halloween Cocktail recipes.
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