Mix It Up With These Valentine's Day Whisky Cocktails

Whether it’s a romantic night in or a Galentine’s day celebration, these cocktails could be just the thing. Across these 6 recipes, flavors include chocolate, strawberry, rose petal, and an option with a little heat. With styles ranging from rich and warming to bold and bitter to bright and floral, there’s a cocktail here for everyone—so grab your shaker and spread the love.

Love Fashion

Jorge Centeno, chief spirits officer at Deer Path Inn in Lake Forest, Illinois

• 3 oz. Elijah Craig bourbon
• 1/4 oz. strawberry-infused honey syrup (recipe below)
• 2 dashes chocolate bitters
• 2 dashes orange bitters
• Chocolate-covered strawberry for garnish

Stir all ingredients with ice about 40 times. Strain into a rocks glass over a large ice cube. Garnish with a chocolate-covered strawberry.

Strawberry-Infused Honey Syrup:

• 11/3 cup strawberries, quartered
• 4-6 red raspberries
• 4 Tbsp. sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/3 cup honey
• Pinch of sea salt

Combine strawberries, raspberries, and sugar in a bowl. Muddle thoroughly. Cover bowl and let sit for 2 hours at room temperature, then add water and stir. Strain into a new bowl, add honey and a pinch of sea salt, and stir until incorporated. Store the mixture in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

From Nueva York...with Love

Alex Davis, co-owner of Peck Slip Social in New York City

• 2 oz. Widow Jane Paradigm rye
• 1/2 oz. Sabra coffee liqueur
• 1/4 oz. Ancho Reyes liqueur
• 1/4 oz. Belvedere Dirty Brew flavored vodka
• 3 dashes Bittermens Xocolatl mole bitters
• 1 dash Scrappy’s Fire Tincture (optional)
• 3 Luxardo cherries for garnish

Combine all ingredients over ice in a mixing glass and stir. Strain and serve in a coupe. Garnish with three Luxardo cherries skewered.

Born on the Bayou

John Benevides, beverage director for Coda Restaurant Group in Boston

• 1¾ oz. cocoa nib-infused Sazerac rye (recipe below)
• 1/2 oz. Cinzano sweet vermouth
• 1/2 oz. Bénédictine
• 1/4 oz. Dolin Dry vermouth
• 3 dashes Peychaud’s bitters
• St. George absinthe for rinse
• Lemon peel for garnish

Rinse an Old Fashioned glass with absinthe. In a mixing glass, stir remaining ingredients with ice and strain into the rinsed glass. Express a lemon peel over the drink and garnish with it.

Cocoa Nib-Infused Rye

• 1/2 cup cocoa nibs
• 750 ml Sazerac rye

Steep cocoa nibs in rye for 2 hours, then strain through a cheesecloth or fine-mesh strainer. Return whiskey to the bottle.

Love Gun

Sara Rosales, co-owner and beverage director at Lady Jaye in Seattle

• 2 oz. Westland Flagship American single malt
• 1/4 oz. Giffard Crème de Rose liqueur
• 1 oz. fresh lemon juice
• 1 oz. vanilla syrup (recipe below)
• 4 dashes Peychaud’s bitters
• Egg white (optional)
• Dried rose bud or rose petal for garnish

If using egg white, dry shake all ingredients first, then add ice and shake again. (If not using egg white, just shake with ice.) Double strain into a coupe and garnish with a dried rose bud or a rose petal.

Vanilla Syrup

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1 Tbsp. vanilla bean paste

Combine sugar and water in a saucepan. Heat over medium, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Stir in vanilla bean paste. Cool at room temperature overnight. Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

The Mister

Commons Club at The Virgin Hotels New Orleans

• 2 oz. Wilderness Trail bourbon
• 1 oz. Carpano Antica Formula sweet vermouth
• 1/2 oz. strawberry-infused Peychaud’s Aperitivo (recipe below)
• Slice of strawberry for garnish

Stir all ingredients with ice for 20-25 seconds. Strain into a rocks glass over a large ice cube and garnish with a fresh strawberry slice.

Strawberry-Infused Peychaud’s Aperitivo

• 1 cup fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
• 11/2 cup Peychaud’s Aperitivo

Add strawberries to a glass jar, and add Peychaud’s Aperitivo. Seal and refrigerate for 24 hours, gently swirling once or twice during infusion. Taste after 24 hours; if a stronger strawberry flavor is desired, infuse up to an additional 12 hours. (Do not infuse longer than 36 hours, as bitterness can result.) Strain through a fine mesh strainer, pressing lightly on the fruit. Store refrigerated in a sealed container for up to 2 weeks.

Roses are Red #2

Anthony Baker, head bartender of Warren Street Bar & Restaurant in New York City

• 1½ oz. hibiscus-infused Suntory Toki Japanese whisky (recipe below)
• 1/4 oz. Bitteroma Rosso
• 1/2 oz. Giffard Crème de Pamplemousse Rose liqueur
• 3/4 oz. peppermint tea
• 3/4 oz. rich simple syrup
• 3/4 oz. fresh lemon juice
• 1 dash Regans’ No. 6 Orange bitters
• 5 drops Ms. Better’s Bitters Miraculous Foamer
• Dried rose bud for garnish

Shake all ingredients with ice for 10 seconds. Strain into a coupe and garnish with a dried rose bud.

Hibiscus-Infused Toki

• 1/3 cup dried hibiscus flowers
• 750 ml. Toki

Steep dried hibiscus in 750-ml. bottle of Toki for 24 hours then strain. Return whisky to the bottle.