The Perfect Valentine’s Day Cocktails

The Amaro Mio. Photo: Dulin, Getty Images.

Valentine’s Day comes but once a year. With it also comes the trusty Hallmark cards and the giant heart-shaped boxes of chocolate. It’s a day that nobody really cares for. Even if you’re in a happy, committed relationship, it’s just an excuse to overspend for a bouquet of flowers and go out to dinner during the week instead of lounging around in your sweats watching Netflix. Maybe we’re just bitter, but we don’t really need a day to tell people we love them.

Lovelorn single people are no more enthusiastic about Valentine’s Day. They don’t need a day to mope around feeling sorry for themselves because they aren’t in a committed relationship. (Though maintaining simultaneous relationships with Hulu, Netflix, HBOGo and Amazon Prime memberships is no easy task, either.)

Couples and single people all deserve some lovey-dovey, Valentine’s Day-themed mixed drinks. Even though the day is completely unnecessary, we should all get a drink (or three) out of it. Drink up, buttercup.

The Perfect Valentine’s Day Cocktails:

 

Amaro Mio

Ingredients:

  • 1 ½ ounces Amaro Montenegro
  • ½ ounce cherry liqueur
  • ½ ounce sweet vermouth
  • Egg white
  • Chocolate extract

Preparation:

Shake all ingredients over ice and garnish with a few drops of chocolate extract.

(From Jessica Dure of Chumley’s.)

 

The Mulled Monte

The Mulled Monte. Photo: Holiday Cocktail Lounge.

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 ounces Amaro Montenegro
  • 1 1/2 ounces Cabernet
  • 1/2 ounces Cocktail & Sons spiced demerara syrup
  • 1 ounce Framboise syrup
  • 1 ounce lemon juice
  • 1 ounce water
  • Cinnamon stick

Preparation:

Combine all ingredients in a mug and stir with the cinnamon stick. Heat and serve.

(From Danny Neff of the Holiday Cocktail Lounge.)

Also: 10 Edible Ways to Tell Valentine’s Day to Eff Off

Love on the Rocks

Love on the Rocks. Photo: Svedka.

Ingredients:

  • 2 parts SVEDKA Raspberry
  • ½ part simple syrup
  • Splash of club soda
  • 9 mint leaves

Preparation:

Build in a rocks glass. Muddle mint lightly and add SVEDKA Raspberry and simple syrup. Fill with finely crushed ice. Garnish with a mint leaf and/or raspberries.

(From Svedka Vodka.)

 

Heart Throb

Ingredients: 

  • 2 parts Ruffino Sparkling Rosé
  • 1 part vodka
  • 3/4 part lemon juice
  • 3/4 part pear nectar
  • 1/2 part simple syrup

Preparation: 

In a shaker, place all ingredients except for the Ruffino Sparkling Rosé. Shake and strain into a highball glass with some ice. Top with the Ruffino Sparkling Rosé and garnish with sprigs of thyme.

(From Ruffino Wines.)

 

Mighty Aphrodite

Mighty Aphrodite. Photo: Alan Battman.

Ingredients:

  • 5 – 7 muddled mandarin segments
  • 4 Thai basil leaves
  • 1 1/2 ounces Belvedere vodka
  • 1/2 ounce agave
  • 3/4 lime

Preparation:

Shake, strain over fresh ice. Garnish with Thai basil.

(From Avra Madison.)

 

Wet Dream

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 ounces Grey Goose Cherry Noir vodka
  • 3/4 ounces pineapple juice
  • 3/4 ounces white cranberry
  • 1/2 ounce St. Germain
  • 1/2 ounce simple syrup

Preparation:

Vigorously shake all ingredients in iced cocktail shaker and strain into martini glass. Garnish with 2 or 3 blueberries.

(From PHD at Dream Midtown.)

 

Valentino

Ingredients:

1 1/2 ounces house-made Valentino Mix (3/4 quart passion fruit puree, 3 ounces vodka, 1 1/2 ounces Fragoli wild strawberry liqueur, 1 ounce Grenadine)

Preparation:

Top with Varichon dry sparkling wine. Garnish with strawberry leaf and serve in champagne glass.

(From Cocktail by Avenue GM/Director of Operations Thierry Carrier.)

 

Young Lust

Young Lust. Photo: The Electric Room.

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 ounces Skyy vodka
  • 1 ounce Pama pomegranate liqueur
  • 3/4 ounce lime juice
  • 1/2 ounce agave

Preparation:

Shake and pour over ice in rocks glass. Top with ginger beer and lime wheel.

(From The Electric Room at Dream Downtown.)

Any Which Way But Left

Ingredients:

  • 1 ounce Jägermeister
  • 1 ounce Aperol
  • 1 ounce Brovo Amaro
  • Chocolate molé bitters
  • Grapefruit peel

Preparation:

Combine all ingredients together, stir and strain into rocks glass over fresh ice. Garnish with chocolate molé bitters and a grapefruit peel.

(From Matt Friedlander of Fools Gold.)

Maria Linda

Maria Linda. Photo: Laurel Hardware.

Ingredients:

  • 2 ounces La Niña del Mezcal “Espadin”
  • 1 1/2 ounces infused Pavan
  • 1/2 ounce lemon juice
  • 1 ounce ginger beer
  • 2 orange bell peppers
  • 6 Thai chili peppers

Preparation:

Shake all ingredients except ginger beer and strain over fresh ice into rocks glass. Top with ginger beer. Garnish with Thai chili pepper. For infused Pavan: Blend 2 orange bell peppers and 5 Thai chili peppers per 750 milliliter bottle of Pavan, then fine strain. Keep refrigerated.

(From Cole Apodaca of Laurel Hardware.)

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