Halloween Rolls On With The Ghostface Sour Cocktail!

A sharp, crowd-pleasing riff on a New York Sour – bright citrus with a sinister red wine float that slashes through the sweetness.

Skill Level Easy/Medium

Simple shake-and-float; the wine layer looks pro but is very doable.

Ghostface Sour Cocktail

A sharp, crowd-pleasing riff on a New York Sour - bright citrus with a sinister red wine float that slashes through the sweetness

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Equipment

cocktail shaker
Hawthorne strainer or any fine strainer
Jigger or measuring spoons
Bar Spoon for the float
Rocks glass

Ingredients

2 ouces Rye Whiskey
3/4 ounce Fresh lemon juice
3/4 ounce Simple Syrup
1/2 ounce Dry red wine for the float
Expressed lemon peel or cherry optional garnish

Instructions

Add rye, lemon juice, and simple syrup to a shaker with ice.
Shake hard for 10–12 seconds until well-chilled.
Strain into an ice-filled rocks glass.
Float the red wine: hold a bar spoon just over the drink’s surface and slowly pour the wine over the spoon so it forms a thin top layer.
Optional garnish and serve.

Notes

Why It Works

This one balances tart lemon and rye spice with a dry red wine cap that adds color, aroma, and a light tannic snap. The float doesn’t just look dramatic—it tempers sweetness and adds complexity as you sip, blending from bold berry notes on top to citrus and grain spice below. All ingredients are easy to find, and the showy two-tone presentation makes it feel “craft” without the fuss.

Movie Pairing

Pair with: Scream (1996)
Like Ghostface, the wine layer is the elegant misdirection on a classic foundation. It’s playful, meta, and just a little dangerous, perfect for a whodunit slasher that reinvented the rules.

Pro Tips & Variations (Still Easy)

Best wine for the float: A dry, fruit-forward red (Malbec, Cabernet, or Merlot). Chill it so the layer sets more cleanly.
Sweeter or drier: Adjust simple syrup ±¼ oz to taste.
Zero-proof riff: Use a nonalcoholic “rye” spirit and a dealcoholized red wine; keep ratios the same.
Batching (no float): For parties, premix rye + lemon + simple (1:0.75:0.75). Shake per drink, then float wine individually for the effect.