Halloween is just around the corner, and that means there will be tons of spooky events happening in the city. Black Lagoon, the award-winning Halloween pop-up from industry vets Erin Hayes and Kelsey Ramage, has revealed its full cocktail lineup and official spirit partners for the 2025 season. Now in its fifth year, this sinister bar takeover is bigger than ever, expanding to 38 cities across North America this October with more chilling cocktails, haunted vibes, and eerie thrills than you can handle. And here in Toronto? The pop-up will take place at The Walrus, turning it into the city’s most hauntingly stylish bar of the season.
A little backstory
Born in 2019 at The Dungeon, a well-loved New Orleans dive bar. Hayes and Ramage dreamed up a concept that was part cocktail art, part haunted house—and in 2021, the first official pop-up came to life. Fast forward five years, and the once underground idea has grown into a continent-wide celebration of spooky sipping, transforming bars across Canada and the U.S. into dark, theatrical playgrounds for Halloween lovers.
The 2025 cocktail lineup
This year’s menu is not for the faint of heart. Designed to be both wickedly fun and drinkable, the lineup includes six brand-new originals that range from eerie riffs on classics to wild, glitter-sprinkled creations:
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- Creature’s Curse – Lot 40 Rye, Kraken Gold, Lustau Amontillado Sherry, roasted sweet potato/pumpkin, Bitter Queens Figgy Bitters
- Midnight Forever – Black Sesame Infused Absolut Vodka, Lustau Fino Sherry, Miso Falernum, lemon, black glitter
- Griselda’s Revenge – Fords Gin, Lustau Vermut Blanco, Giffard Mango Liqueur, tarragon, lemon, Bitter Queens Thai Spice, soda
- Nocturna Colada – Kraken Black & Gold, Mr Black Cold Brew Liqueur, passionfruit, coconut, pineapple, Bitter Queens Coffee Cardamom Bitters
- Corpse Flower – Lalo Blanco Tequila, ube, Giffard Banane, lime, Lustau Amontillado Sherry
- Death’s Door (NA) – Spirit-free alternative with Giffard Pineapple, Miso Falernum, lime, soda
The brands behind the cocktails
Making the magic possible this year? A stacked roster of partners: Absolut Vodka, Lot 40 Rye, Lalo Tequila, Fords Gin, Kraken Rum (Gold & Black), Mr Black Cold Brew Liqueur, Giffard Liqueurs, Lustau Sherry & Vermouth, and Bitter Queens Bitters. Together, they’re fueling the potions that give Black Lagoon its signature spooky edge.
Where to try the cocktails
From New Orleans to Vancouver, Black Lagoon is taking over 38 cities this October. Each venue will be transformed into a fully immersive Halloween fantasy: skulls, coffins, gothic décor, and the kind of haunted-house energy that’s more witchy chic than cheesy.
📍 In Toronto, you’ll find the pop-up at The Walrus, where the bar will be completely reimagined as a gothic playground for spooky season.
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