Valentines Day is a week away! If you’re still struggling to find the perfect cocktail to make your partner or gal pals, then you’ve come to the right read. Thanks to a bunch of great brands and mixologists,  I’ve compiled together a great cocktail guide to get you through Valentines Day. Whether you and your sweetie are staying in for a romantic evening, or going out and want to pregame with the guys or girls before you paint the town, there’s always time for a cocktail!

Flirty and Fun

Sparkling Hibiscus- Courtesy of Santa Margherita 

TT Santa Margherita Prosecco Superiore DOCG

Whole hibiscus flowers, packed in syrup

8 tsps of hibiscus syrup used to pack the flowers

Method: Place a whole hibiscus flower in the bottom of glass. Fill glass with Santa Margherita Prosecco Superiore DOCG to ¾” of the rim. Carefully spoon 2 tsps of the hibiscus syrup down the interior side of each glass.

 

Rose Colored Glass

.25 oz Angostura bitters

.75 oz lemon juice

1 oz simple syrup

Crémant d’Alsace Rosé

Lemon twist or rose petals for garnish 

Method: Shake bitters, lemon juice and simple syrup and strain over ice into a flute or coupe glass. Top off with three ounces Crémant d’Alsace Rose. Garnish with lemon twist or rose petal.

Sparkling Raspberry- Courtesy of Sparkling Ice

1½ ounces vanilla vodka

1 tsp. simple syrup

½ oz. fresh lemon juice

Sparkling Ice Grape Raspberry

Raspberry ice cubes, for garnish

Method: Place raspberry ice cubes in a glass and set to the side. In a cocktail shaker, add vanilla vodka, simple syrup, and fresh lemon juice- shake. Strain over ice and add Sparkling Ice Grape Raspberry.

The Rosemary Hound- Courtesy of Purity Vodka

2 Parts Purity Vodka

1 Part Simple Syrup

4 Tablespoons Fresh Rosemary Leaves

½ Part Ruby Red Grapefruit Juice

2 Slices Ruby Red Grapefruit, for Garnish

Method: Place the grapefruit juice, vodka and 1-ounce rosemary simple syrup in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake well to mix. Serve on the rocks, garnished with a grapefruit slide.

Purity Berry H20- Courtesy of Purity Vodka

4 Parts Purity Vodka

3 Parts Berry Water

1 Cup Mixed Berries

1 Long Piece of Lemon Zest

4 Parts distilled or bottled high-quality water

Method: Combine the ingredients in a glass pitcher and let sit, refrigerated, for at least 4 hours – or preferably overnight, before serving. Serve the vodka mixed with the Berry Water either shaken and strained or just combined over ice.

Flor Adora- Courtesy of Bruce Cost Ginger Ale

0.75 oz lemon juice

0.75 oz Small Hand Foods raspberry gum syrup

1.5 oz Plymouth gin

4 oz Bruce Cost Ginger Ale Original

Method: Combine all ingredients in a glass with ice, garnish as desired.

Bold Drinkers

Rose Runner- Courtesy of Four Roses Bourbon

1 3/4 oz. Four Roses Small Batch Bourbon

1 1/2 oz. Rhubarb Syrup

4 to 5 dashes rhubarb bitters

Juice of Half a Lemon

1 oz Prosecco (a dry Prosecco is recommended)

Method: In a mixing glass filled with ice add the bourbon, rhubarb syrup, juice of the lemon and the rhubarb bitters. Shake and strain into a flute and top with the Prosecco.

** The recipe for Rhubarb Syrup can be found HERE

Cognac Old-Fashioned

2 oz XO Cognac

1 oz Dry Marsala Wine 

1⁄4 oz Hazelnut Syrup

5 Leaves of Fresh Mint

1 dash Angostura Bitters 

1 dash Peychaud’s Bitters 

Method: Gently muddle mint and bitters in the base of a mixing glass. Add remaining ingredients and stir over ice until well-chilled. Strain into an old-fashioned glass with one large ice cube and garnish with a broad orange twist. 

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!!