Test Lab 011: Death Apple

Apple pie, made in Kansas City.

Death Apple started with a homemade batch, an apple-pie spice recipe, and an idea shared around a campfire. Now the Kansas City spirit is coming to the Test Lab bench on October 28.

The bottle is 60 proof, with apple-pie flavor at its center. Its maker pairs it with rye and vermouth in one recipe and tequila and lime in another. That gives us a good starting point: the same familiar flavor can take a drink in very different directions.

There’s a story behind the name, too. It was inspired by the manchineel tree, sometimes called the little apple of death. The producer makes clear that the spirit contains no part of that tree.

We’ll put Death Apple to work in three cocktail tastings and talk through what changes from one glass to the next.

Your evening at the Lab

Wednesday, October 28, 2026 · 6–7:30 p.m.
Brass Monkey Lounge · 307 Admiral Blvd, Kansas City, MO
$33 per guest · Three cocktail tastings · 90-minute guided experience
Smoked nuts from Savory Addictions included · Ages 21+

View dates and reserve Test Lab 011

Ingredient notes: Death Apple’s story; Producer cocktail recipes.