SOME daring drops for Hallowe'en parties, Day of the Dead and Bonfire Night celebrations are on the menu this year for spooktastic festivities.

For anyone who craves a howling Hallowe'en on October 31, dares to call the shots on Day of the Dead on November 1 and 2 or can't wait for the fireworks to fly on Bonfire Night on November 5, the one thing you don't have to fear is deciding which wicked party drink to bewitch your friends with.

Whether they're crying out for a creepy cocktail or a blood red wine, the night sky and ghostly shadows lend themselves to a measure of trickery and intrigue.

Here are some devilishly divine drinks to ease yourself into the witching hour.

*Baileys pumpkin spice latte

Carving out pumpkins into jack-o-lanterns can be thirsty work, and for anyone who loves the earthy, rich, taste of pumpkins, try rhe limited edition Baileys Pumpkin Spice which is infused with cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Simply chill, and serve on the rocks to savour the creamy, cinnamon and baking spice flavours; or try this scrummy seasonal latte.

Ingredients: 150ml milk, 50ml Baileys Pumpkin Spice, 50ml coffee

Warm the milk with a steamer, so it becomes nice and frothy. Pour the Baileys Pumpkin Spice into a glass, add the coffee and then the steamed milk on top. Serve immediately.

*Cointreau fizz Hallowe'en

It's easy to love the bittersweet flavours of this fine orange spirit and Cointreau's cocktail of the month "captures the colours of autumn and tang of Halloween". Best of all, garnish the glass with two slices of blood orange shaped like horns and you really do have a tasty little devil.

Ingredients: 40ml Cointreau, 10ml fresh lime juice, 40ml blood orange or red pomelo, 40ml sparkling water

Fill a large goblet glass with ice, add Cointreau, fresh lime juice and blood orange juice into a glass. Top with sparkling water, stir and garnish.

*Hayman's haunted warmer

If you want to breathe new life into your G&T and get crafty with a versatile mixer, try swapping tonic for Stones Original Ginger Wine, which comes into its own this time of year with its raisin and ginger flavours and complements the fresh, crisp and lively citrus finish of Hayman's London Dry Gin.

Ingredients: 50ml Hayman's London Dry Gin, 50ml Stone's Original Green Ginger Wine, dash of sugar or bitters to taste

Fill a tumbler with cubed ice and pour the ingredients over ice, garnish with a cinnamon stick and large orange wedge. Bartender's tip: Orange bitters offer just the right level of citrus notes.

*Vampire cocktail

A fangtastic concoction that's worth making for the colour and presentation, the savoury botanicals (basil, thyme, rosemary and olives) in Gin Mare Mediterranean Gin pair well with the carrot juice; the cream can be tweaked to your liking and the spice adds just enough bite.

Ingredients: 50ml Gin Mare, 20ml fresh lemon juice, 40ml coconut cream, ras el hanout spice, 100ml carrot juice

Half fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Pour in the gin, lemon juice and coconut cream, add a pinch of spice. Shake vigorously, double strain and pour into a porron wine pitcher. Top with carrot juice and garnish with lemon zest.

*Hooting hallowe'en

The owl on the label of Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 2015, Italy signals some nocturnal naughtiness and this wine is filled with scents of plums, blackcurrant and cherry fruits, which follow through on the palate with cloves, herbs, and a lick of bark on the savoury finish. Tame and approachable, it's perfect with spaghetti bolognese or meatballs.

*Day of the dead

To celebrate this famous Mexican holiday that honours the dead, along with decorating sugar skulls to keep the spirits happy, a blanco tequila such as Espolon Tequila Blanco, Mexico perfectly fits the theme with a spooky skeleton on the label. Evocative of the Mexican tradition of spending the night in a graveyard to feel closer to the spirits, it's made from 100% blue agave.

*More bang for your buck

A rare beast at less than a fiver, Morrisons Pinotage 2015, Smooth & Spicy, South Africa is a simple, really lovely wine that's perfectly defined by the label: "Brilliant with bangers." Dark and fruity with a hint of smoke, bring it to a party and watch it disappear into the night.