Valentine’s Day, the day that you make an extra effort to show the person you care for (OK, or yourself because #selfcare is important, too) that you appreciate them.
While you can shower your love with “flowers, chocolates or promises you don’t intend to keep,” according to Disney’s Cogsworth, taking the reins and creating a fabulous cocktail for a sweet night in is speaking a love language we can get behind.
We rounded up some amazing cocktails built with an array of spirits so you can find exactly the right one to impress your partner, friend, family or even your Netflix account. We’re not judging.
Salty Smoked S’mores Boulevardier
Courtesy of Fitz Bailey, Coopers’ Craft Mixologist
Prep: Using a rocks glass, rim side of glass with melted chocolate, before it hardens, roll glass in powdered graham cracker. Garnish with speared smoked marshmallow.
Ingredients:
- 1.5 oz Coopers’ Craft Barrel Reserve
- 1 oz Campari
- 1 oz Sweet Vermouth
- .5 oz Creme de Cacao
- 3 Dash Chocolate Bitters
- Pinch of Sea Salt
Directions: Stir all ingredients with ice. Light a marshmallow on fire, cover with rocks glass to extinguish and capture smoke. Strain cocktail into glass, garnish and serve immediately.
Frozen S’Mores Cocktail
Courtesy of Lindzi Shanks of XO Marshmallow
Prep: Rim side of glass with marshmallow fluff, coat fluff in crushed up graham crackers, top with bourbon marshmallows.
Ingredients:
- 2 XO Marshmallow Coopers’ Craft Bourbon Marshmallows (can also be made with regular marshmallows)
- 3 tbsp of marshmallow fluff
- Crushed up graham crackers
- 1/2 cup of sweetened XO double dark cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup of milk of your choice (you can go no milk for a more bitter cocktail)
- 2 shots of Coopers’ Craft Barrel Reserve
Instructions: Mix cocoa powder, milk and bourbon in blender with ice; pour into glass; top drizzle with chocolate for extra sweetness.
Vesper Martini
Courtesy of Ashley Rose Conway @craftandcocktails
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 oz Nikka Whisky Coffey Gin
- 1 oz Nikka Whisky Coffey Vodka
- 3/4 oz Lillet
- 1 dash orange bitters
- Lemon peel for garnish
Directions: Add gin, vodka, Lillet and bitters to a mixing glass with ice and stir. Strain into a coupe. Garnish with lemon peel.
I Do Cherryish You
Courtesy of Hannah Chamberlain, @SpiritedLA
Ingredients:
- 1 oz heavy whipping cream
- 3/4 oz cognac
- 3/4 oz Luxardo Cherry Sangue Morlacco
- ½ oz white chocolate liqueur
- 1/4 oz orgeat liqueur
- Macaron garnish
Directions: In a cocktail shaker filled 3/4 full of ice, add heavy whipping cream, Luxardo Cherry Sangue Morlacco, white chocolate liqueur, cognac, and orgeat liqueur. Shake vigorously for 15 seconds until all ingredients are well combined. Strain into glass through a fine strainer, add macaron garnish, and serve.
Trifle Sour
Courtesy of Goslings Rum
Ingredients:
- 1.5 oz Goslings Gold Seal Rum
- 1/4 oz Framboise
- 1/4 oz Chambord
- 1/4 oz Cherry Brandy
- 3/4 oz Lemon Juice
- 1 oz Egg White
- 1/4 oz Grenadine
Directions: Pour all ingredients into a cocktail shaker, shake with ice, Strain and pour back into tin without ice, reshake drink without ice, fine strain drink into coupe/sour glass, garnish with a blackberry, cherry, and raspberry skewer and enjoy.
Red Velvet Martini
Courtesy of Baileys
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 oz Baileys Red Velvet
- 3/4 oz Vodka
Directions: Add Baileys Red Velvet and vodka in an ice-filled shaker. Shake with ice and pour into a martini glass.
CÎROC Love Supreme
Courtesy of CÎROC
Ingredients:
- 1.5 oz of CÎROC White Grape
- 1 oz Fresh Lime
- 1/2 oz Premium Grenadine
- 3/4 oz Curacao
- 3 Dashes of Rose Water
Directions: Combine ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake, strain into a coupe glass and serve.
Blushing Rhum
Courtesy of Rhum Barbancourt
Ingredients:
- 2 ¼ oz Rhum Barbancourt Réserve Spéciale (5 Star), Aged 8 Years
- 1 oz fresh lemon juice
- 1 ¼ oz simple syrup
- 1 ½ oz diced cucumber
- 1 large strawberry
Directions: Muddle cucumber and strawberry in cocktail shaker, then add the remaining ingredients and shake vigorously with ice. Strain over fresh ice into old fashioned glass. Garnish with a strawberry slice.
Chambord Royale
Courtesy of Chambord
Ingredients:
- 1/3 oz. Chambord Liqueur
- Sparkling wine of choice
- 1 Raspberry
Directions: Pour Chambord into flute glass, top with sparkling wine, finish with a raspberry garnish.
Bloody Dutch Sour
Courtesy of Ketel One
Ingredients:
- 1 oz. Ketel One Vodka
- 1/2 oz. Aperol
- ½ oz. Lillet Blanc
- 1/2 oz. blood orange reduction simple syrup
- 3/4 oz. fresh lemon juice
- Egg white
Directions: Combine ingredients in a mixing glass. Dry shake for 10 seconds. Add ice and shake well again. Double fine strain into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with a fresh thyme sprig.