Valentine's Day 2011

Here is our yearly collection of cocktails, punches and other drinks to help you celebrate that special day, Valentine's. Enjoy!

Valentini
  • 2 parts ABSOLUT Vodka
  • 1 part Hiram Walker Pomegranate Schnapps
  • 1 part Hiram Walker Amaretto
  • 1/4 part Lime Juice

Shake and strain into a martini glass, garnish with a lime wedge.

Strawberry Kir
  • 1 part Hiram Walker Creme de Strawberry
  • 4 parts chilled champagne

Serve in a champagne flute, garnish with a fresh strawberry.

Raspberry Pom
  • 1 part Hiram Walker Pomegranate Schnapps
  • 1 1/2 parts premium tequila
  • 4 fresh raspberries
  • 2 lime wedges

Muddle 3 red raspberries and 2 limes wedges in a splash of cranberry juice. Add ice, then Pomegranate Schnapps and tequila. Serve in an Old Fashioned glass. Garnish with a raspberry and mint sprig.

Cinnful Valentine
  • 1 part Hiram Walker Original Cinn
  • 1 part Cranberry Juice
  • 2 parts Ginger Ale

Build in a Collins glass over ice.

Black Angel
  • 1 1/2 parts Hiram Walker Blackberry Brandy
  • 1 lime, juiced
  • Splash of Club Soda

Pour the blackberry brandy and lime juice into an ice-filled rocks glass. Top with a splash of club soda and garnish with a limed wedge.

Pomegranate Royal
  • 1 1/2 oz. Ciroc Vodka
  • 2 oz. Stirrings Pomegranate Cocktail Mixer
  • 1 oz. fresh lime juice
  • Splash(es) champagne

Shake ingredients with ice and strain into a pre-chilled martini glass. Top with champagne. Garnish with orchid or other exotic flower.

Cranberry Margarita
  • 2 1/2 oz. Stirrings Margarita Cocktail Mixer
  • 1/2 oz. Stirrings Cosmopolitan Cocktail Mixer
  • 1 1/2 oz. Don Julio Blanco Tequila
  • 1 cup ice

In a cocktail shaker, combine Margarita Mixer, Cosmopolitan Mixer, and Don Julio Blanco with plenty of ice. Pour into a rimmed glass garnished with a lime twist. Cover and shake vigorously.

Simple Bloody Mary
  • 5 oz. Stirrings Bloody Mary Cocktail Mixer
  • 1.5 oz. Smirnoff No. 21 Vodka
  • 1 piece(s) celery
  • 1 lime wedge
  • 1 cup(s) ice

Pour ingredients in a tall glass with plenty of ice. Stir to combine ingredients. Garnish with celery stick and squeeze of lime.

Fountain of Youth
  • 2 oz. Stirrings Pomegranate Cocktail Mixer
  • 1 oz. Ciroc Vodka
  • 1 splash dry sparkling wine
  • 3 blueberries

In a cocktail shaker combine Stirrings Pomegranate Mixer and Ciroc Vodka with plenty of ice. Cover and shake vigorously. Strain into a martini glass. Top with sparkling wine (optional). Garnish with fresh blueberries.

Raspberry Cosmo
  • 1 1/2 oz. Stirrings Cosmopolitan Cocktail Mixer
  • 1 1/2 oz. Smirnoff Raspberry Flavored Vodka
  • 3 raspberries
  • lemon twist

In a cocktail shaker combine Stirrings Cosmopolitan Mixer, Smirnoff Raspberry Flavored Vodka and raspberries (or 1/2 tsp. raspberry jam) with plenty of ice. Cover and shake vigorously. Strain into a martini glass. Garnish with lemon twist.

Dirty Mary
  • 4 oz. Stirrings Bloody Mary Cocktail Mixer
  • 1.5 oz. Smirnoff No. 21 Vodka
  • 1 tablespoon(s) Stirrings Dirty Martini
  • 1 cup ice

In a cocktail shaker, combine Stirrings Bloody Mary Mixer, Smirnoff No. 21 Vodka, Stirrings Dirty Martini, and plenty of ice. Shake, strain, and pour into a cocktail glass.

Love In The FIG City
(by Tomas Delos Reyes of the Standard Hotel, NYC)
  • 2 oz. Partida Reposado Tequila
  • 1/2 oz. Fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 oz. Ginger Liqueur
  • 1/2 oz. Cinnamon syrup
  • 3/4 oz. Fig puree or half a fresh fig
  • Mionetto Brut Prosecco

Muddle, shake and fine strain over ice into a rocks glass. Top with Mionetto Brut Prosecco and garnish with a fresh fig wheel.

Look Better Naked Margarita
(by Adam Seger of Nacional 27, Chicago)
  • 1 1/2 oz. Partida Reposado Tequila
  • 1/2 oz. Samazon Pure Organic Acai
  • 3/4 oz. Partida Organic Agave Nectar
  • 1/2 oz. Organic egg white
  • 1 Lime, fresh squeezed
  • Sprig rosemary
  • Organic salt for rimming
  • Fresh, cracked organic green peppercorns for rimming

Rim a 10 ounce cocktail glass with equal parts organic salt and fresh cracked organic green peppercorns. Remove rosemary leaves from the woody stem and muddle in a 16 ounce pint glass until aromatic.

Add the liquid ingredients and transfer to a cocktail shaker. Shake vigorously until the shaker is frosted. Strain into the chilled, rimmed glass. Float a 1" rosemary sprig on top.

Blue Essence
(by Brett Feore of Apiary, NYC)
  • 2 oz. Blueberry/Jalapeno infused Partida Blanco Tequila
  • 3/4 oz. Creme de Mure
  • 1 oz. Fresh Lime Juice
  • 1/2 oz. Tequila Partida 100% Organic Agave Nectar

Muddle mint and blueberries. Combine remaining ingredients. Garnish with mint and three berries and sea salt rim.

X-Rated Fusion X-Boyfriend
  • 1 part X-Rated Fusion Liqueur
  • 1 part vanilla vodka

Shake with ice and strain into a shot glass.

X-Rated Fusion French Kiss
  • 1 1/2 oz. X-Rated Fusion Liqueur
  • 1 1/2 oz. SKYY Vodka
  • Splash of cranberry juice
  • Squeeze of fresh lime wedge

Shake over ice and serve in a martini glass. Drizzle black raspberry liqueur down sides of glass.

SKYY Amore-tini
  • 2 oz. SKYY Vodka
  • 1/2 oz. Passion Fruit Liqueur
  • 1/2 oz. Campari
  • Dash Fresh Lemon Juice

Mix all ingredients in a shaker filled with ice. Shake and serve in a cocktail glass.

The SKYY Violet
  • 1 1/2 oz. SKYY Vodka
  • 3/4 oz. Creme de Violette
  • 3 oz. Dry Sparkling Wine (such as Two Oceans)
  • 3 dashes Fee Brothers or Angostura
  • Orange Bitters

Stir SKYY Vodka, Orange Bitters and Creme de Violette with ice. Strain into Champagne coup or flute and top with Prosecco. Top with zest of an orange and garnish with orange twist.

The Spritz
  • 1 1/2 oz. Aperol
  • 2 oz. Prosecco or other dry sparkling wine
  • Ice cubes
  • Slice of orange
  • Splash of soda

Pour over ice and serve in a wine glass.

SKYY Love Potion #9
  • 1 1/2 oz. SKYY Vodka
  • 1 1/2 oz. sweet and sour mix
  • 1 1/2 oz. cherry liqueur

Shake well with cracked ice. Strain into chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a maraschino cherry.

Cupid's Kiss
  • 2 oz. SKYY Vodka
  • 1 oz. Triple Sec
  • 1 oz. Lillet Blanc
  • 1 oz. freshly squeezed Lemon Juice
  • 1 oz. Simple Syrup
  • 1 dash Rose Water

Shake with ice and strain into chilled a martini glass. Garnish with an edible orchid.

U'Luvka Vodka has a Valentine's day Cocktail. It is the U'Luv Me, which a delicious mix of strawberry, U'Luvka and St. Germain (if you cannot find it in your country, an elderflower cordial is a close substitute). The recipe is for two Martinis, it is Valentine's!
U'LUV ME
  • 2 oz. Uluvka
  • 3/4 oz. St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur
  • 1/4 oz. Simple Syrup (1:1)
  • 3/4 oz. Lemon Juice
  • 1 muddled strawberry
  • Brut Champagne
  • Pernod Absinthe

In a cocktail shaker, muddle the strawberry, after adding the lemon juice, simple syrup, St. Germain, and U'luvka Vodka. Rinse a chilled Martini glass with Pernod Absinthe. Add fresh ice into the mixing glass and shake it with lots of TLC. Strain the cocktail into the Martini glass. Top with Champagne. Garnish it with a strawberry.

Godiva Sealed With a Kiss
By Elayne Duke, New York City
  • 1 oz. Godiva Chocolate Raspberry Infused Vodka
  • 1/2 oz. Creme de Cassis
  • Champagne

Combine Godiva Chocolate Raspberry Infused Vodka and Creme de Cassis into a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well and strain into a champagne flute. Top off with chilled champagne.

Kissed by an Angel
  • 2 oz. Vermeer Dutch Chocolate Cream
  • 1 oz. Blue Angel Vodka
  • 1 Splash Half and Half

Combine ingredients with ice and shake well. Strain into a martini glass rimmed with shaved or powdered chocolate. Garnish with a strawberry, cherry or a raspbery.

Herradura Ultimate Beso
Photo by Paola Garcia
Cocktail created by Mark Drew, master mixologist and brand ambassador for Tequila Herradura.
  • 2 oz. Herradura Silver Tequila
  • 1/2 oz. Lemon juice
  • 1/2 oz. Simple Syrup
  • 3/4 oz. Pineapple Juice
  • 1 1/4 oz. Raspberry tea (chilled)
  • 1 Rose petal (for garnish)

Prepare the raspberry tea with boiling water then leave to cool. Once cool, place in fridge until chilled. Add all liquid ingredients to a boston shaker and fill with ice. Shake until cold and the pineapple juice has created foam. Strain into a chilled coupe/martini glass. Garnish with a rose petal.

Sandeman Ruby Sparkler
  • 1 part Founders Reserve Porto
  • 3 parts Sparkling wine

Serve in a champagne flute.

Chasing Tail
for those of you out there who don't have a date tonight and don't have a problem with that!
  • 2 parts Wild Turkey Bourbon
  • 1 part Dr. Pepper
  • 1/2 part amaretto

Combine ingredients in a rocks glass over ice and stir gently.

Love is... Margarita
  • 3 parts chocolate milk (store bought or homemade)
  • 1 part Sauza Silver Tequila
  • 1 part strawberry puree or daiquiri mix
  • Chocolate covered strawberry

Combine chilled chocolate milk, Sauza and strawberry puree in a tall glass. Stir vigorously to combine. Pour into a glass and garnish with a chocolate covered strawberry.