WEREWOLF BITE & TONIC

A savage, citrus-blooded highball with herbal backbone and a controlled burn This cocktail stalks the night with layers—a feral gin-and-tonic beneath a wounded-red Campari bite, sharpened with blood orange and lime, and laced with honey and heat. Its finish prowls with creeping spice and lingering bitters, built for those who crave bite without losing civilized form. Glassware Highball or Collins glass Ice Large cubes or a single ice spear (controlled dilution) Ingredients 2 oz London Dry Gin (juniper-forward, assertive) 1/2 oz Campari (blood-red bitterness) 1/2 oz fresh blood orange juice (or regular orange if unavailable) 1/4 oz fresh lime juice 1/4 oz honey syrup (1:1 honey to warm water) 3–4 oz premium tonic water (Fever-Tree or equivalent) Bite Layer (choose one) 2–3 dashes Angostura bitters 1 small slice fresh ginger OR 1 thin slice jalapeño (for your preferred bite) Optional Intensifier 1/4 oz absinthe rinse OR 2–3 drops wormwood tincture (for a wilder herbal edge) Build Method 1. If using absinthe, rinse the glass and discard excess. 2. Add ice to the glass. 3. Add gin, Campari, blood orange juice, lime juice, and honey syrup. 4. Add bitters and your chosen heat element (ginger = sharp, jalapeño = wild). 5. Top with tonic water (3–4 oz). 6. Stir gently to mix, preserving the carbonation. Garnish Blood orange wheel or dehydrated citrus slice. Optional: skewered candied ginger or a torched rosemary sprig for aromatic effect. Flavor Profile Bright citrus and bitter upfront, shifting into herbal gin-and-tonic core, finishing with bittersweet spice and subtle fire that lingers. Alcohol Strength Moderate, but drinks bolder and more savage than it appears. Ritual Variant – “Full Moon Surge” Add 1/2 oz overproof or navy-strength gin Increase bitters to 4 dashes Replace tonic water with 2 oz tonic + 1 oz soda water for a sharper, drier edge