February is nearly halfway through and Valentine’s Day is this Sunday! It can be dicey planning a romantic night during a pandemic. After all, we’ve all had countless movie nights and cook-a-thons in the past few months, haven’t we?
It would be great to switch things up and steer away from the clichés. You could have a toasty bonfire with chocolate and s’mores, hit up a virtual dance class, build an indoor fort and snuggle, or even sign up for a chocolate and tea tasting experience. Whether you decide to cook up a seven-course dinner or host a Galentine’s board game night, one thing is for sure—you’ll need liquid reinforcements. What is v-day without some delicious libations and after a year of quarantine, we deserve some indulgence.
Here are some delicious spirits and sweet, boozy cocktail ideas (with recipes!) for an evening to remember…
A natural aphrodisiac, a potent spirit, maker of memories – tequila is the perfect spirit to celebrate love day! Partida Tequila is crisp, citrusy, and has a lovely agave flavor. Tacos and tequila, anyone?
Partida Paloma
2oz Partida Blanco
1 oz ruby red grapefruit juice
.5 oz fresh lime juice
.5 oz simple syrup
1.5 oz grapefruit soda
Shake and strain into a highball glass over ice, add soda, and stir. Garnish with a grapefruit wedge.
A top-shelf vodka brand born in New Zealand, each bottle of Broken Shed Vodka is gluten-free, all-natural, and has zero added sugar. It is ultra-smooth and is great on the rocks, infused with herbs or pepper, and shaken up into a delicious cocktail.
Broken Cosmopolitan
1.5oz Broken Shed Vodka
1oz Orange Liqueur
.5oz Fresh Lime Juice
.25oz Cranberry Juice
Add all ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well and double strain into a martini glass. Garnish with an orange peel
This toasty, butty whisky has a deep honey flavor that contrasts beautifully with its mellow acidity. It is especially outstanding in a spicy cocktail. Created by Master Blender, Paul Caris, Grace O’Malley Blended Irish Whiskey is a special blend, combining multiple batches of whiskey of varying age statements from three to 10 years old.
Hard Tack
60 ml Grace O’Malley Whiskey
15 ml Homemade spiced red wine syrup
4 dash black walnut bitters
Peppercorn garnish
Stir for approximately 20 seconds. Strain over ice. Garnish with black peppercorns
The Busker is a “new to world” Irish Whiskey that is born out of modern Ireland. The Busker is a mix of four types of Irish whiskeys – Single Grain, Single Pot Still, Single Malt, and Blend. Velverty, vibrant and spicy – it is fabulous in fruity cocktails.
The Busker Paloma
1 oz The Busker
2 oz Pink Grapefruit Soda
Fresh Mint Sprig
Fill a highball glass with ice, pour The Busker Irish Whiskey and top up with the soda. Stir and garnish with fresh mint.
Grace O’Malley Irish Gin is an easy-drinking, 14-botanical gin. Think striking aromatics from the west of Ireland including heather, wild thyme, red clover, blackthorn, wild blueberries, and rock samphire that make for fresh, floral cocktails.
Baby Doll Cocktail
1.5 oz Grace O’Malley Gin
1 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
1 oz Cocci Americano
1 oz Crème De Mure (or similar blackberry liqueur)
1 Egg White
Shake all the ingredients together, first without ice to aerate and expand the egg white and then with ice. Strain into a glass and garnish with a sprig of heather to serve.
This is a dry-style sherry that goes fabulously with Tapas. It is light and crisp with delicious saline flavor, and is an unconventional but excellent choice for Valentine’s dinner.
Pearl of the Orient
1.5 oz La Gitana Manzanilla
.5 oz Yuzuri Yuzu Liqueur
.5 oz Goji berry syrup
Combine all ingredients into a beaker glass. Add ice. Stir all ingredients with ice and strain into a chilled glass.
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