Halloween Feature, Day 6: The Obituario

Happy Halloween! For the last day of our cocktail-a-day Halloween Feature, we're going out with a drink whose name says it all.

Who made it

The Obituario is a tequila riff on the Obituary, a classic gin martini with a touch of absinthe. It was created by Simon Difford on the Day of the Dead in 2023 at the Clocktower in Rye, Sussex, and the recipe is published on Difford's Guide.

The recipe

• 1½ oz blanco tequila

• ½ oz mezcal

• 1 oz bianco vermouth

• ½ teaspoon absinthe

• 2 drops saline solution (or a tiny pinch of salt)

Stir everything with ice until very cold and fine-strain into a chilled martini glass. Express a lime twist over the top and discard it. Garnish with a green olive, on a skull pick if you can find one.

Why it works

Blanco tequila is bright and peppery, the splash of mezcal adds a little smoke, and bianco vermouth makes it soft and slightly sweet. The absinthe sits in the background like a whisper in a dark hallway. It's a martini for people who think martinis are boring.

Bartender tip: Chill your glass before you start stirring. Fill it with ice water, build the drink, then dump the water right before you strain. A cold glass keeps a stirred drink crisp to the last sip.

That's a wrap

Six days, six spooky drinks, and a lot of credit to the people who invented them. Thanks for following along. If this series made you want to get behind a bar yourself, our November certification classes are open, and they're for career-changers and cocktail enthusiasts alike.