13 Wonderfully Weird Booze and Candy Pairings for a Bewitchingly Good Halloween

Halloween is almost here! We’ve curated 13 spirits and candy pairings to help get into the spirit of this spooky holiday. (Photo by: Wolfram Steinberg/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Images)

Halloween is two weeks away, which means pretty soon, many of us will be shopping for candy to give out to trick-or-treaters. What better way to use leftover Halloween candy than to pair it with the spirit of your choice?

These pairings range from traditional to unconventional — yet, weirdly, all of them work. So whether you plan on passing out Halloween candy to trick-or-treaters this year, throwing a costume party, or just relaxing and watching a scary movie, consider these 13 spirits and Halloween candy pairings.

13 Halloween Candy and Spirits Pairings

1. Pair Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups With Larceny Barrel Proof Bourbon Batch B524

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As far as dessert and whiskey pairings go, there’s nothing quite like a delicious bourbon and some chocolate. We’re huge fans of Heaven Hill’s Larceny Barrel Proof series, with its dessert-driven wheated mashbill that practically begs to be paired with something sweet.

Heaven Hill’s Larceny Barrel Proof Bourbon Batch B524 dropped in May 2024, and it’s one of our favorites from the series in recent memory. With a Raided Score® of 91, this bourbon is superb. On the pour, it’s the perfect mixture of sweet and heat, and that boozy Kentucky hug will cut through the creaminess of the chocolate and peanut butter in the Reeses Cups like a knife through butter. Decadent flavors of buttercream and Demerara add a bit of lift to the intensity of the chocolate, and a maple throughline adds sweetness to the salty peanut butter.

We’re heavily partial to Larceny Barrel Proof Bourbon Batch B524, which clocks in at a nice and hefty 125.4 proof and hosts a suggested retail price of $70.

2. Pair Tootsie Pops With Tears of Llorona Extra Añejo Tequila

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Tootsie Pops can be quite challenging to pair with any alcohol, with their hard fruity shell and soft, chewy and chocolatey interior.

Consider Tears of Llorona Extra Añejo Tequila, which boasts the perfect balance of fruity and chocolatey characteristics while possessing an ABV of 43%. On the nose, citrus fruit pirouettes around a caramelized, charred throughline. The palate boasts Fuji apples and cinnamon, echoing the combination of fruity shell and chocolatey interior of the Tootsie Pop. This pairing might be a bit of a splurge, as Tears of Llorona Extra Añejo Tequila hosts a suggested retail price of $250.

Yet perhaps the most compelling reason this Extra Añejo Tequila is a perfect pairing for a Halloween night is the story behind its namesake. The story of La Llorona is about the ghost of a beautiful woman in white spurned by her lover who cries in the night. Legend has it that after her betrayal, she drowned her children in the river and is often seen near bodies of water, looking for more people to take to their watery graves with her siren’s call.

Tears of Llorona Extra Añejo Tequila is one delicious pairing, and the tequila has a heck of a story behind it.

3. Pair Lemon Heads With Aviation Gin

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Wine Folly reports that there are two types of pairings often encouraged by Sommeliers and chefs alike: congruent pairings and contrasting pairings.

With its citrusy profile, Aviation Gin and Lemon Heads are an example of a congruent pairing because citrus is the dominant player in both. The Gin is In cites zesty grapefruit flavors throughout the pour of Aviation Gin, and these lively, bracingly acidic notes are balanced with earthy flavors like forest, roots and spices, adding depth to this pairing.

The zesty flavor of lemon heads is beautifully emphasized by that citrus fruit at the forefront of Aviation Gin. Not to mention, that pop of ethanol from the 42% ABV and sells for an average price of $29, according to Wine-Searcher. The heat from this gin kicks through that chewy texture of Lemon Heads candy, making this one bold pairing.

4. Pair Skittles With Mezcal Vago Ensamble

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You’ll definitely be tasting the rainbow with this pairing.

The fruity, oh-so-chewy sweetness of Skittles, coupled with the pear and melon aromas on this Mezcal makes for a fantastic pairing. Smoke and ethanol temper the bright, sugary sweetness of the Skittles.

Mezcal Vago Ensamble is composed of a blend of 57% Espadin and 43% Mexicano varietals. With a nose of salted melon that has plenty of sweet fruity qualities, it’s clear this pairing is a match made in heaven at first whiff. The palate is light on the heat and has tree fruits, with a slight green and herbaceous vibe that complements the Skittles. The smoke really kicks up at the end of the pour, with a slight kick of bell pepper.

Mezcal Vago Ensamble sells for an average price of $70, according to Wine-Searcher, and has an ABV of 51.8%.

5. Pair Crunch Bar With High West Double Rye

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High West’s Double Rye adds a little bit of pep to your run-of-the-mill Nestle Crunch Bar. With just chocolate and crunchy crispy rice, Crunch Bars are a relatively simple sweet that could benefit from High West Double Rye’s complexity.

Breaking Bourbon writes that High West is an affordably-priced rye whiskey with oodles of mint, brewed apple cider and cinnamon on the nose. The pour is astringent without the burn, and it won’t overpower the crunch bar. Plenty of anise and herbaceous qualities add quite a bit to the blank chocolatey canvas that is a Nestle Crunch Bar.

With a suggested retail price of $37.99, High West Double Rye is affordable and easy to find, and a pairing like this is so delicious it’s spooky.

6. Pair Snickers With Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva Rum

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With its beautiful baked and brown sugar qualities, Diplomatico Rum is an excellent pairing for all that nutty, gooey caramel chocolate goodness a Snickers Bar possesses. The Rum Howler claims Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva has brown butter and cinnamon flavors coupled with loads of vanilla.

The sweet richness of the rum stands up quite well to the layers of rich chocolate enrobing the caramel and nutty center of the Snickers Bar. The notes of cocoa and caramel from the Diplomatico Reserva Rum’s finish complement the chocolatey caramel qualities of the Snickers.

You can typically find a bottle of Diplomatico Reserva for around $42, according to Wine-Searcher. With its complexity and dark richness, Diplomatico Reserva is a sipping rum that begs to be enjoyed while passing out candy to trick-or-treaters on Halloween night.

7. Pair Twix With Fortaleza Reposado Tequila

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With its creamy, vanilla-like qualities, Fortaleza Reposado Tequila is an excellent pairing with a Twix bar.

Think about it: the buttery shortbread cookie at its base works well with the sweetness Fortaleza Reposado possesses. This tequila spent seven months aging in barrel, imbuing it with honeyed, crémè brûlée flavors on the palate that intermingle beautifully with Twix Bars’ luscious, caramel goodness.

The dessert-like sweetness of this tequila, coupled with the caramel aromas on the finish make it an excellent pairing option for those who really love a decadent dessert. Fortaleza Reposado Tequila hosts an ABV of 40% and sells for an average price of $132, according to Wine-Searcher.

8. Pair Banana Laffy Taffy With Del Maguey Tepextate Mezcal

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Del Maguey Wild Tepextate is distilled from the Tepextate varietal, with its curly and unpredictable leaves that twist and turn. Due to its rarity and general wildness, this expression fetches a little bit of a higher price point, and Wine-Searcher reports an average price of $137.

Yet, with its tropical banana flavors and what Distiller reports to be a distinctively guava-based throughline, Del Maguey Wild Tepextate and Banana Laffy Taffy prove to be a weird wonderful pairing.

The lemony, mineral-laden spine of this mezcal adds a bit of depth to the almost synthetically sweet qualities of the Laffy Taffy. A little bit of smoke at the finish of Del Maguey Tepextate cuts through the chewy and sticky texture of the taffy. If you’re looking to try something daring on Oct. 31, be sure to give this pairing a try!

9. Pair Junior Mints With Poli Marconi 42 Gin

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This next pairing is for all the sophisticates out there; we recommend dipping into Junior Mints and Marconi 42 Gin after a big, luxurious meal.

Marconi 42 Gin is from Poli Distillerie and clocks in at a modest 80 proof. It features botanicals like juniper, mint, rosemary and thyme. Wine-Searcher reports Marconi 42 Gin is reasonably priced and hosts an average price of $37, according to Wine-Searcher.

Drink Hacker reports that Marconi 42 Gin boasts an array of garden-like herbs before the “mint takeover begins.” This highly herbaceous gin complements the bracingly crisp and minty center of the Junior Mints while cutting through that incredibly rich dark chocolate coating.

Its fresh, alpine quality cuts nicely through the dark chocolate shell, making this pairing one that thrills and chills!

10. Pair Sour Patch Kids With RumHaven Rum

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RumHaven Rum is an affordably priced workhorse rum that is refreshing and light on its feet. Made from Carribean rum, sugar cane and coconut water, this coconut rum liqueur hosts an ABV of 21% and is typically priced at around $16, according to Wine-Searcher.

RumHaven Rum and Sour Patch Kids is a great example of a contrasting pairing because the sweetness of the coconut rum cuts through that electric sourness of Sour Patch Kids. The light sweetness doesn’t compete with all the strong — and at times synthetic — flavors of lemon, lime, cherry and orange from the Sour Patch Kids.

If you want a pairing that’s like a party in your mouth, consider Sour Patch Kids with RumHaven.

11. Pair Raisinets With Camus Borderies VSOP Cognac

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This next pairing is perhaps one of the most quintessentially “autumn” pairings on our list. Camus Borderies VSOP Cognac is a single estate cognac sourced from France’s Borderies appellation. Borderies is one of the older and smaller appellations, and less than 5% of the vines in Cognac are sourced from this designation, according to Camus.

Wine Enthusiast cites aromas of vanilla bean and peaches, coupled with maple and caramel. Baking spice layered throughout makes this cognac an autumn orchard walk in liquid form. When paired with the rich chocolatey savoriness of Raisinets, this pairing is a feast for the senses that makes one think of vineyard walks during harvest time.

Camus VSOP Borderies is priced at $66 from the Cognac producer, making this an elevated pairing that can be enjoyed for the remainder of Fall.

12. Pair Sweet Tarts With Hendrick’s Grand Cabaret Gin

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Fruity candies tend to be more challenging to pair with spirits — everybody does love a good liquor and chocolate pairing after all — yet we’ve managed to find the holy grail of pairings for Sweet Tarts: Hendrick’s Grand Cabaret Gin.

This Gin Is In describes Hendrick’s Grand Cabaret Gin as a “successful albeit loud celebration of fruit,” and we can’t think of a more perfect pairing as far as Sweet Tarts are concerned.

The outlet describes a distinctively candied quality to Hendrick’s Grand Cabaret Gin, citing candied peaches, rosewater and apricot flesh. The palate is a symphony of citrus and stone fruits according to the outlet, and just a kiss of juniper adds an herbaceous kick to this 43.4%-ABV Parisian-inspired gin. Wine-Searcher reports an average price of $42 a bottle.

Sweet Tarts are inherently acidic, yet there’s a sugary-sweet, almost synthetic character to them. Hendrick’s Grand Cabaret Gin emphasizes their fruity qualities, and that kick of juniper adds an herbaceous lift to the chalky texture of these little candies.

13. Pair Payday With Green River Wheated Bourbon

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This upstart Kentucky distillery has seen no shortage of love from critics since its revival in 2020, and with its affordably priced portfolio, what’s not to love?

When we were in the process of figuring out our last pairing for this classically nostalgic peanut and caramel candy bar, we couldn’t help but think Green River’s wheater would be the perfect fit. This delicious wheated bourbon hosts an ABV of 45% and has vanilla ice cream for days on the nose, coupled with caramel candies and a hit of cinnamon in the finish. Green River’s wheated bourbon is the perfect pairing for a Payday because all that vanilla complements those peanuts beautifully, conjuring up memories of eating caramel ice cream sundaes during simpler times.

Perhaps even sweeter is the price tag on Green River’s Wheated Bourbon, which hosts a suggested retail price of $35.