It’s widely noted that Halloween originated with the Celts in Ireland, who believed this was a time when the souls of the dead roamed the streets and villages at night. Many of the celebration’s practices were based on superstition, and ancient communities gathered together to light huge bonfires meant to ward off evil spirits and bad fortune for the coming year.
So the Raglan Road mixologists couldn’t resist the chance to brew a new ghostly cocktail to celebrate the 2,000-year-old harvest festival, Samhain, (pronounced “so-anne”), which signified the end of summer and the beginning of harvest.
The cleverly named potion, Druids Samhain, will be served October 24-31 in a shroud of fog (and with a surprise garnish), a perfect aperitif or with one of Master Chef Kevin Dundon’s popular desserts.
Many modern-day Halloween traditions, like dressing in costumes and carving pumpkins, originated with the Celtic Samhain festival. Irish villagers disguised themselves using animal skins, and families would carve scary faces into turnips and leave them at the doorstep to ward off malevolent spirits. If you can’t join the celebration at Disney Springs, here’s the recipe – and it’s one spirit you won’t want to shoo away!
Druids Samhain Potion
- 2 oz. Jameson Black Barrel Irish Whiskey
- 1.25 oz. Amaretto
- 2 oz. apple juice
- 2 oz. cranberry Juice
- 1 oz. maraschino cherry juice
- Add all ingredients to shaker, fill with ice.
- Shake, then strain into rocks glass.
- Serve over food-grade dry ice and swizzle stick (available online). Garnish imaginatively.
