Inspired by fall's richest colors, hayrides in an orchard, favorite childhood cereals and grandma's baked apple pie, these cocktails from hotel bars across the U.S. imitate all the senses of fall — and they're not all pumpkin spice.

This year's featured beverages aren't filled the cliche ingredients one would expect, and each take their own twist on the season. Featured ingredients include house-made fall spice syrup, blackberry ginger shrub and even a cranberry mini tamale wrapped in a corn husk.

Click through the slideshow below to see key ingredients and read below for the story behind each festive cocktail.

“This festive fall cocktail tastes even better than it looks in your hand. Rum and Kahlúa combine with cinnamon simple syrup to bring out a warm, rich flavor. The martini glass is rimmed with crushed graham crackers and garnished with a dried cinnamon apple slice, sure to bring forward all the cozy feelings that accompany autumn,” said Ashley Moore, beverage manager at the Rum Bar at Caribe Royale Orlando.

“Reminiscent of autumn’s richest colors, the Fall in Love is a bourbon-based seasonal favorite that combines rich flavors like maple syrup and blackberry ginger shrub with cherry bitters and lime juice to create a cocktail as awe-inspiring as the colorful leaves on the trees — and ones that garnish your glass,” said Jorge Centeno, chief spirits officer, Deer Path Inn.

“An Apple a Day is meant to invoke the memories of grandma’s baked apple pie, the crisp autumn air, burning leaves and hay rides through the orchard. This medium-bodied, smooth and lightly textured cocktail maintains the proper balance of spirits and flavor components. Bright notes of apple and acidity from the lemon up front are complemented with the fall spices on the back palate at the finish,” said Allen Lancaster, master in-house mixologist, The Spectator Hotel.

“Tapping into rich flavors like local maple syrup and full-bodied red wine, the Maple Sour tastes like autumn in a glass. This whiskey-based cocktail is garnished with an orange peel for a fun Floridian twist,” said Moore.

“Cereal and tamales might not be the first ingredients that come to mind when crafting a cocktail, but an imaginative seasonal beverage is a surefire way to wow a guest. Using whiskey infused with Frosted Flakes as a base, the Corny and Old Fashioned blends fall syrup and chocolate bitters to create a signature flavor that feels more [like a] hearty meal than a cocktail, especially when topped with a cranberry mini tamale wrapped in a corn husk — gently toasted to release the aroma of roasted corn, of course,” Centeno said.

“I believe cranberry, apple and orange are staples of the fall season. I prefer to use Old Forester in this specific recipe as the fruit-forward notes of this bourbon pair well with complementary ingredients. The savory aromatics of the rosemary balance the sweet and dry components, as well. This cocktail pairs best with a fireside chat,” said Justin Adams, food and beverage director, The Foundry Hotel.

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