Last Call for Valentine's Day

We've already offered quite a few Valentine's Day suggestions (and we'll link to them again at the end of this post), but we wanted to wrap it up with cocktail recommendations.

The Blushing Geisha

The Blushing Geisha is light on the alcohol but the bouquet is anything but light. In here we have a mix of the complex flavors of soju, luscious pomegranate juice, and rose nectar for a little herbal sweetness.

2 ounces Kuro Uma Shoshu Silver Soju
1 ounce pomegranate juice
2 ounces Sence rose nectar
Lime wedge for garnish

Pour the ingredients into a mixing glass filled with ice.
Stir well, then strain into a stemmed glass or over ice in an old-fashioned glass. Garnish with a lime wedge.

Amarula & Eve

Fruity and creamy, the Amarula & Eve is a delicious cocktail that can serve as a dessert or an appealing, mood-setting drink for those romantic occasions. The nice part about the Amarula & Eve is that it is not overly creamy and the Amarula itself is nicely balanced against the fruit flavors, especially the lychee. If you cannot find lychee juice, you can substitute Soho Lychee liqueur for it; the drink will be just a touch sweeter.

1 1/2 oz Amarula Cream
1/2 oz Svedka Citron vodka
2 1/2 oz lychee juice
3/4 oz ruby red grapefruit juice
Lychee fruit for garnish

Combine all ingredients in a shaker glass filled with ice. Shake vigorously and strain into a coup glass. Garnish with lychee fruit on the rim.

Agave Kiss

Tequila isn't mixed into creamy drinks too often, but when it is, it's a dream. This one happens to be ultra-creamy, complete with chocolate and raspberry liqueurs and double cream, shaken to a slurry mix.

The original recipe here calls for silver, or blanco, tequila but you can use an aged one instead. The reposados and anejos add a caramel sweetness that goes perfectly with the creams for the ultimate in sweetheart drinks.

2 ounces Herradura Tequila Silver
1 ounce white creme de cacao
1 ounce double cream (min 48% butterfat; can substitute heavy cream)
1/2 ounce Chambord
White chocolate flakes for rimming
Fresh raspberries for garnish

Pour the ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake for 15 seconds. Pour into a chilled cocktail glass rimmed with white chocolate, add a spear of fresh raspberries, and serve.

Our other Valentine's Day suggestions:

Beer
Dessert Wine
Sparkling Wine