Vampire’s Kiss Cocktail: Bloodlust with a Raspberry Kick

Are you a lover of fruity cocktails but tired of serving up the same old Pornstar Martinis and Pina Coladas? Or maybe you’re just looking for something with a spookier, sexier twist this Halloween? This vampire drink is just itching to shroud your Halloween in spookiness and mystique. 

The Vampire’s Kiss Cocktail Ingredient List

The Vampire’s Kiss is an incredibly simple cocktail to make, but don’t think that takes away from the classy and spooky allure. All you’ll need for this is Vodka, Chambord, and Champagne, with some Red Sugar and Dry Ice for that added presentational flair. The Vampire’s Kiss as a blood-red, vodka-based cocktail has been around for nearly a century now, but the modern, sparkling, raspberry-flavored drink has its origins in the 1980s with the mass production of Chambord Liqueur. A sweet, fizzy drink, but with a strong kick, this drink is perfect for those with a sweet tooth who still want the alcohol to hit hard. 

How to Make the Halloween Vampire Cocktail

• Step One: Chill a Martini Glass in the freezer 
• Step Two: Add 1 ½ ounces of Grey Goose French Vodka and ¾ ounce of Chambord Raspberry liqueur to a Boston Shaker
• Step Three: Coat the rim of your chilled glass with red sugar
• Step Four: shake with ice and strain into chilled glass 
• Step Five: Top with 1 ½ ounces of Champagne 
• Step Six: Drizzle ¾ ounce of Chambord over a bar spoon into the drink 
• Step Seven: Add dry ice and enjoy!

As Chambord is a French liqueur (more on that later), and we’re topping up with champagne, I’ve gone for Grey Goose vodka as a smooth tasting, classy, French vodka to round off the classy and mysterious allure of the Vampire’s Kiss. Other vodkas and sparkling wines will make a nice Vampire’s Kiss, but it won’t quite have the same appeal as going all Francais. 

FAQs

What is Chambord and Where to Find It?

Hailing from the Loire Valley region of France, Chambord is a raspberry-infused liqueur that oozes classiness and sex appeal. The finest mix of French spirits and XO Cognac with Madagascan vanilla and Moroccan citrus peel is infused for at least six weeks with the fresh berries of the Loire Valley to create this stunning explosion of flavor. C’est magnifique. Don’t think of this as a one-trick, Halloween pony though, the smooth blend of Chambord liqueur makes it an incredibly versatile choice for any bartender or mixologist, and will have you serving up a Raspberry Kiss or French Martini year round!

Chambord is far from uncommon and will be easy enough to find in most supermarkets across Europe. If you live in the US or further afield, don’t be worried. Not only is it available in a lot of the big retailers, all you need to do is go straight to Chambord’s website and you can buy it directly, all from the comfort of your own home.  

How to Work With Dry Ice

Contrary to what you may think, dry ice is perfectly safe to work with so long as you take all the correct precautions. Despite the name, dry ice isn’t actually ice at all, but the frozen, solid form of carbon dioxide. Because of this, make sure you use it safely in a well-ventilated area.

• Get your dry ice only an hour or two before making the drinks, as this stuff melts in your average household fridge or freezer in less than a day. 

• Don’t touch the dry ice with your bare hands, make sure you’re using some gloves or tongs as dry ice is cold enough to give you frostbite if held for too long. 
• Once placed in your drink, leave to settle for 5-10 minutes and watch the steam cascade out of your glass, wowing your guests. 
• Don’t be overeager, it isn’t wise to ingest dry ice so letting it melt is the best way to keep on the safe side. 

Not only does dry ice look cool, you won’t have to worry about disposing of it in some complicated way. It’s just frozen gas so as long as you’re in a well-ventilated area the wastage will sort itself. Follow these tips, and dry ice will be an excellent addition to your Vampire’s Kiss without you needing to worry about any hazardous side effects. 

Alternative Ways to Make this Vampire Drink

The Cranberry Twist

Whilst the recipe we’ve given you is sure to sparkle your socks off, you don’t need to make it with a fizz. One way to mix up this spooky vampire drink is to replace the champagne with cranberry juice. If you’re searching for that deep, intense, blood-red color, then cranberry juice is the way to go. Not only will it make your vampire cocktail less airy, but it’ll also sweeten it up and give it that lovely sugary flavor that so many of us love in our cocktails. 

Grenadine from the Grave 

I’m personally not a fan of cocktails that are too sweet, which is why this wasn’t included in the original recipe. However, sweet and sexy cocktails are all the rage for a reason: they’re popular. So why not try adding a ½ ounce or so of grenadine to your Boston shaker? Grenadine is a sugary, pomegranate-based non-alcoholic syrup that can be found easily in stores or online, and makes a great addition to your home bar. This way, you can keep the fizziness and classy allure of your Vampire’s Kiss with the champagne top-up, but sweeten it up like a glass of Halloween candy!