Get Lovey-Dovey With Our 2024 Valentine's Day Drinks Roundup

With all the declarations of love and romance swirling about, Valentine’s Day brings with it several avenues for which to celebrate. Having a libation with a loved one is a cherished moment, and our all-new Valentine’s Day drinks roundup might help you drum up some ideas for your sips. This year’s Valentine’s Day roundup focuses strictly on cocktails, featuring a bevy of spirits with the expected hues of pink, red, and related colors. What we enjoyed about putting this roundup together was how vividly presented the drinks were and the variety of cocktail styles from drinks on the rocks, served up and riffs on familiar classics. Also, lots of raspberries. So many raspberries. If you have a Martini or Gimlet fan in your life, you’re in luck with this guide. Does your boo enjoy an Old Fashioned? We’ve got a nice one in this roundup using a brand we’re big fans of that might be obvious to readers familiar with our usual coverage. Do you have a rum fan in your midst? There’s lots to love here. No matter what your flavor, it’s in this roundup. Cheers to all the lovers that are and the lovers to be. Happy Valentine’s Day and do sip safely and surely. — Photo: Getty

1. Amante 1530 Spritz

Directions:
3 parts D.O.C.G. Prosecco
2 parts Amante 1530
1 part high-quality soda water

Gently combine over ice in a tall, clear glass. Add a squeeze of Amalfi lemon. Drop it in.

2. Bayou Cosmopolitan

Ingredients:
2 ounces of Bayou White Rum
1 ounce cranberry juice
1/2 ounce quality orange liqueur
1/2 ounce fresh squeezed lime juice

Method:
In a cocktail shaker add all ingredients. Top with cubed ice and shake vigorously for 10 seconds.
Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Add a lime wheel or lime wedge for a tart addition or an orange for a slightly sweeter take.

3. Big Love

Ingredients:
0.5 oz Beet Juice
1 oz Cointreau
0.25 oz Lemon Juice
1.25 oz Strawberry Shrub
1.25 oz Vodka

Instructions:
Combine all ingredients in a shaker full of ice
Shake well until chilled
Strain it and serve it in a coupette

4. Blinker

Blinker (mocktail recipe from Fresh Victor’s  H. Joseph Ehrmann)

1oz Fresh Victor Grapefruit & Sea Salt
2.25oz Spiritless Kentucky 74, Ritual, or Free Spirits (to make boozy, use bourbon of your choice)
.25oz raspberry syrup (or grenadine)
Garnish:three raspberries on a pick
Ice: cube
Glass: cocktail

Shaker Method:
In a cocktail shaker, add all ingredients, fill the shaker with ice, shake well(to chill and dilute) and strain over ice in a 10-12oz glass. Add garnish and serve.

5. Blood Orange Paloma

Ingredients:
1 part Avión Silver
½ part Fresh Blood Orange Juice
¼ parts Lime Juice
1 part Grapefruit Juice
Blood orange slices and sea salt for garnish
Citrus wheel for garnish
Sea salt for garnish

Preparation:
Fill your glass with ice and add Avión Silver tequila. Add fresh lime juice along with fresh blood orange juic and grapefruit juice. Stir everything together and then garnish, as desired. If you like it sweet, feel free to add agave nectar or simple syrup!

6. Bourbon Raspberry Sour

Directions:
2 parts Woodford Reserve Double Oaked
.5 parts Chambord or Raspberry Syrup
.75 fresh Lemon Juice
3-4 Woodford Reserve Chocolate Bitters

Combine all ingredients in a shaker, add ice, shake, and double strain into a coupe or martini glass. Garnish with three skewed raspberries.

7. Box of Chocolates Old Fashioned

Directions:
2 oz Cedar Ridge Port Cask Bourbon
.5 oz Demerara simple syrup
2 dashes chocolate bitters

Directions:
Add bitters, syrup and bourbon into cocktail glass over king cube. Stir well. Rub the orange peel around the inside of the glass. Garnish with orange peel and bada bing cherry.

8. Coming Up Roses

Ingredients:
2 oz Empress 1908 Elderflower Rose Gin
¾ oz Fresh Lemon Juice
.5 oz Lillet Rosé
.5 oz Raspberry Syrup
Egg White
Garnish: Fresh Raspberries

Method: Add ingredients to cocktail shaker and shake without ice to emulsify egg white. Add ice to tin then shake again. Strain into chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with fresh raspberries.

9. Dark & Gloomy

Ingredients:
1 part Kraken® Black Spiced Rum
3 parts Ginger Beer
Pinch of silver or black Cocktail Shimmer / Edible Glitter

Directions: Layer all ingredients in a chalice filled with ice and garnish with black sugar rim.

10. Down Thyme

Ingredients:
1.5 oz Mount Gay Eclipse
0.5 oz Lemon
0.5 oz Raspberry Syrup
4 oz Soda

Raspberry Syrup:
Muddle raspberries into your simple syrup, strain and serve.

Instructions:
Add all ingredients except soda into the glass and stir.
Add ice, finish with soda and garnish with raspberry and/or thyme