Top cocktail recipes for a Valentine’s date night at home
Valentine’s Day is tomorrow, and no matter your views on the occasion or the status of your love life, it’s a great excuse to make cocktails.
Valentine’s Day can be stressful for some, exciting for those who have their plans sorted, and just another day for everyone else. Regardless, it’s a chance to get the home bar ready and make some cocktails.
Below, we’ve rounded up 10 recipes covering a range of spirits and styles, which are all guaranteed to make date night one for the books.
And if you’re not feeling Valentine’s Day at all, check out our recent roundup of recipes from February.
In The Mood for Love
This cocktail understands its assignment, hence the name. It can also be found at Hakkasan Mayfair in London for one night only (14 February), if you do get the itch to head out for a few drinks.
Ingredients:
- 40ml Pantalones Reposado
- 50ml Tomato water
- 15ml Hibiscus cordial
- 7.5ml Grapefruit juice
- 10ml Antica Formula
- Hint of agave
- Hint of Supasawa
- 2 Strawberries
Method: The cocktail batch is clarified, and 85ml is stirred with fresh strawberries. Served on the block of ice and garnished with love.
Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Martini
Rich, decadent and a little risqué, this chocolate Martini was born for date night. You can even feed the strawberry garnish to your partner for a laugh – it’s romantic.
Ingredients:
- 30ml Strawberry-infused Sonrisa Platino Rum
- 60ml Baileys Chocolate Liqueur
- 15ml Half-and-half
- Garnish: Chocolate-covered strawberry
Method: Add all ingredients to a shaker filled with ice. Shake well until chilled and strain into a chilled Martini glass. Garnish with a chocolate-covered strawberry.
Renais Clover Club
This cocktail is sweet, smooth and full of depth, just like you (don’t use this line).
Ingredients:
- 50ml Renais Gin
- 20ml Lemon juice
- 20ml Raspberry syrup
- 20ml Dry vermouth
- 20ml Egg white
Method: Add all ingredients into a shaker and shake for 10 seconds. Strain through a fine strainer into a chilled coupette glass. Garnish with a raspberry.
JW Black Ruby Negroni
Complex and sophisticated, Negronis are great for stirring up good-quality conversation and date-night vibes without going too over the top. Garnish it with a cherry, because it’s Valentine’s Day.
Ingredients:
- 25ml Johnnie Walker Black Ruby
- 25ml Sweet vermouth
- 25ml Red Italian bitter
- 5ml Sugar syrup (2:1)
Method: Add all ingredients to a mixing glass, fill with cubed ice and stir for 10-15 seconds until chilled. Strain into a Rocks glass over fresh cubed ice and garnish with a cherry.
Peanut Butter & Jealous
Here’s a fun and playful cocktail that is sure to impress and at least earn a ‘Wow, I didn’t know you had that in you’. We’d also recommend a shot of Skrewball on the side, because Valentine’s Day is about going the extra mile.
Ingredients:
- 50ml Skrewball Whiskey
- 22ml Raspberry liqueur
- 30ml Half and half
Method: Shake vigorously, double strain and pour into a coupe. Garnish with fresh raspberries.
Cupid’s Cosmopolitan
For date-night cocktails, the Cosmo always hits the mark: elegant, tart and with a touch of intrigue. Cupid would be proud.
Ingredients:
- 60ml Aspen Vodka
- 22ml Orange liqueur
- 22ml Cranberry juice
- 22ml Lime juice
Method: Add ingredients to an ice-filled shaker. Shake well. Strain into a coupe or Martini glass.
The Rémy Espresso
A French twist on the Espresso Martini with Cognac. Oh là là…
Ingredients:
- 50ml Rémy Martin 1738 Accord Royal
- 30ml Espresso
- 15ml Coffee liqueur
- 15ml Simple syrup
Method: Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker and shake with ice. Strain twice. Serve in a classic coupe or Martini glass. Garnish with espresso beans.
Chamomile Highball
Gentle and soothing, this Highball is the cocktail equivalent to a long, leisurely stroll in the Scottish countryside – deeply romantic…
Ingredients:
- 44ml Aberfeldy 12 Single Malt Scotch whisky
- 22ml Local honey
- Top with chilled chamomile tea
- Cubed ice
Method: Add the Aberfeldy 12 Year Old and honey to a Highball glass. Stir the ingredients together and add cubed ice. Top up with chilled chamomile tea and stir to disperse. Add a lemon twist to garnish.
Mermaid Tidal Bloom
This low-ABV sipper (3.3% ABV) is a lighter Valentine’s Day option: floral, sweet and easy enough to make.
Ingredients:
- 15ml Mermaid Pink Gin
- 10ml Amaretto
- 20ml Cherry syrup
- 10ml Lemon juice
- 200ml Soda
- Garnish: A single maraschino cherry
Method: Build all ingredients into an ice-filled tumbler and top with soda.
Spicy Bloody Mary
Roses are red, this cocktail is too – Absolut’s Bloody Mary brings the heat straight to you.
Ingredients:
- 45ml Absolut Tabasco
- 150ml Tomato juice
- 15ml Lemon juice
- 10ml Worcestershire sauce
- 1 Pinch ground black pepper
- 1 Pinch salt
- 1 Lemon wedge for garnish
- 1 Bunch parsley and a celery stick, for garnish
- Red chillies
- Cajun spice for rim
Method: Rim a Highball glass with Cajun spice. Fill a shaker with ice cubes. Add Absolut Tabasco and all other ingredients. Roll the shaker smooth and strain it into a Highball glass over fresh ice. Garnish with a lemon wedge, red chillies, parsley and a celery stick.
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