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Cocktail History
The Witch’s Heart is a popular Halloween cocktail that was created in 2015 by Dini Kodippili, the recipe developer behind The Flavor Bender. The original recipe used a homemade shimmery blackberry liqueur that was meant to mimic the now discontinued Viniq Liqueurs. Rather than wait for an ingredient to infuse for a week, this version’s creator, Alex Sukopp, former bartender of Sips From Scripts, chose to use raspberry and blackcurrant liqueurs, and I aimed to make it a little more balanced and sophisticated by going with apple brandy in place of vodka and adding citrus.
Cocktail Ingredients
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:
Raspberry Liqueur: This is a liqueur made with raspberries, sugar, and alcohol. I used Chambord Liqueur.
Apple Brandy: This is a type of brandy made with apples, pears, spices, sugar, and alcohol. I used Calvados.
Crème De Cassis: This is a liqueur made with blackcurrants, sugar, and alcohol. I used Maison Ferrand Mathilde Cassis Liqueur.
Lemon Juice: This is the liquid juice of a lemon. I used freshly squeezed lemon juice.
Purple Luster Dust: This is an edible decorating powder that adds sparkle. I used Nomeca Purple Edible Luster Dust.
Blackberries: This a glossy black berry formed by multiple small fruits that each contain a seed.
Bartending Tools
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:
Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. I used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Boston Shaker: This is used to shake ingredients. I used the Boston shaker from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Hawthorne Strainer: This is used to strain out ice and solid ingredients after the cocktail is shaken. I used the A Bar Above Hawthorne Strainer.
Paring Knife: This is used to cut ingredients. I used the OXO Good Grips 3.5 Inch Paring Knife.
Juicer: This is used to juice citrus. I used the ALEEHAI Manual Fruit Juicer.
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Tasting Notes
This cocktail has the following flavor profile:
• Appearance: Dark sparkly purple color
• Aroma: Mixed berries
• Taste: Candy-sweet flavor balanced with lemon
• Finish: Slightly tart apple
Kendall’s Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Kendall’s Take: “I tried the original version of the Witch’s Heart and found it to be way too candy-sweet. Even though it’s meant to be a kitschier Halloween drink, I wanted it to be more balanced and ended up loving the changes. Instead of homemade sparkly blackberry liqueur, I went with a split of berry-flavored liqueurs and also added some citrus. It’s so much better with those tweaks—so good, in fact, that I ended up giving it four stars. I would definitely make this again for friends during spooky season.”
Recipe
Witch’s Heart
The Witch's Heart is a popular Halloween cocktail that was created in 2015 by Dini Kodippili, the recipe developer behind The Flavor Bender. The original recipe used a homemade shimmery blackberry liqueur that was meant to mimic the now discontinued Viniq Liqueurs. Rather than wait for an ingredient to infuse for a week, this version's creator, Alex Sukopp, former bartender of Sips From Scripts, chose to use raspberry and blackcurrant liqueurs, and I aimed to make it a little more balanced and sophisticated by going with apple brandy in place of vodka and adding citrus.
Ingredients
Method
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Add raspberry liqueur, apple brandy, crème de cassis, lemon juice, and cubed ice to a shaker.
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Shake for 10-20 seconds.
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Strain into a martini glass.
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Add purple luster dust to glass.
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Stir for 5-7 seconds.
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Garnish with blackberries.
