Cocktail culture has never been shy about pushing the envelope, but some drinks take daring to a whole new level, in some cases bordering on the genuinely dangerous…
From ingredients you wouldn’t want anywhere near your mouth to concoctions that flirt with actual toxicity, these cocktails are as much about shock and awe as they are about taste.
For those brave enough to venture into the darkest corners of mixology, these drinks come with some serious warnings: “Drink at your own risk”. Here’s a rundown of some of the scariest, most unusual cocktails in the world, featuring ingredients that will test your courage more than your palate…
The Dead Man’s Hand – A Cocktail Drenched in Death
Where to Try: Select speakeasies and themed bars in the U.S.
Inspired by the infamous poker hand that allegedly doomed Wild Bill Hickok, The Dead Man’s Hand is not just a name, it’s a cocktail with a macabre twist. This drink combines mezcal, black absinthe and a dash of cyanide-free bitter almond extract, which mimics the aroma of deadly almonds but is perfectly safe in tiny doses.
What makes this drink unsettling isn’t just the taste, it’s the ritual that accompanies it. Served in a skull-shaped glass and garnished with black charcoal dust, it’s designed to look as foreboding as its name suggests. The bitters give it a slightly toxic edge, with a powerful smoky finish from the mezcal, making every sip a daring dance with danger.
Scare Factor: ★★★★★ – Themed around death with ingredients that tease toxicity.
Price: Around $18–$22 depending on location.
Sourtoe Cocktail – The Drink With a Real Human Toe
Where to Try: Downtown Hotel, Dawson City, Canada
It sounds like an urban legend, but the Sourtoe Cocktail is terrifyingly real and it involves an actual mummified human toe. This Yukon tradition challenges drinkers to down a shot of Canadian whisky with the preserved toe floating in the glass. The catch..? Your lips must touch the toe.
Successfully completing this grotesque ritual earns you a certificate and bragging rights, but beware, some patrons have accidentally swallowed the toe and theft carries a steep fine. It’s not just a drink; it’s a rite of passage into the bizarre.
Scare Factor: ★★★★★ – You’re literally kissing a dead person’s toe.
Price: Around $5 plus your drink.
Three Lizard Liquor – A Creepy, Crawly Concoction
Where to Try: Bars across China and Southeast Asia
Move over tequila worms, Three Lizard Liquor is an ancient Chinese spirit made by infusing three different types of lizards in strong rice wine or grain alcohol. Believed to grant vitality and strength, this brew is as much a test of nerve as it is of taste buds.
The sight of lizards suspended in liquid might put off most drinkers, but the flavour is said to be earthy and herbal, if a little too close to nature for some. Not for the faint-hearted, but definitely a conversation starter.
Scare Factor: ★★★★☆ – Drinking lizard-infused booze is not for the squeamish.
Price: Around $20+ per bottle.
Rocky Mountain Oyster Stout – The Beer with a Bold Secret
Where to Try: Wynkoop Brewing Company, Denver, Colorado, USA
Don’t be fooled by the name, Rocky Mountain Oysters aren’t seafood. They’re deep-fried bull testicles, a regional delicacy in parts of the American West. Taking this concept even further, Wynkoop Brewing crafted a stout brewed with 25 pounds of freshly prepared bull testicles.
Originally a joke born out of an April Fool’s prank, the beer surprisingly found fans who loved the novelty and daring behind it. While canned versions are rare, the stout occasionally appears on draft for those who want a pint with some serious balls(!)
Scare Factor: ★★★★☆ – Not everyone has the guts for this one.
Price: Around $7 per pint, when available.
Hirezake – The Sake Infused with Poisonous Pufferfish
Where to Try: Guenpin Fugu Restaurant, Osaka, Japan
For those craving danger with their drink, Hirezake delivers a cocktail infused with the fin of the fugu, a pufferfish famous for its deadly tetrodotoxin. The dried fin is lightly seared and steeped in hot sake, releasing smoky, umami-rich flavours that elevate this drink to a ritual of risk and reward.
While the toxin is neutralised if prepared correctly, the association with one of the world’s most poisonous fish lends Hirezake an intoxicating air of danger. Some bars even set the drink alight for a dramatic flourish. This is a seasonal treat best left to licensed professionals.
Scare Factor: ★★★★☆ – A cocktail that flirts with death, safely—mostly.
Price: Around ¥880 ($6) per serving.
The Vaportini – The Cocktail You Inhale
Where to Try: Private use; banned in several U.S. states
If drinking your cocktail feels too pedestrian, the Vaportini offers a sinister alternative: inhaling your alcohol…
This device heats spirits until they vaporise, allowing drinkers to breathe in the intoxicating fumes. The result? A near-instant buzz, bypassing the digestive system entirely.
However, the health risks are very real. Rapid intoxication increases the chance of alcohol poisoning and since you’re inhaling, there’s no throwing up to mitigate the damage. Due to these dangers, several US states have even banned the device. Though still available online, the Vaportini remains a controversial, and risky, party trick.
Scare Factor: ★★★★☆ – Fast intoxication, serious risks, and officially outlawed in some places.
Price: Around $35 for a kit (where legal).
