Chocolate-Garnished Cocktails for Valentine's Day

Garnishes aren’t only for visual appeal. Most also add a hint of flavor and aroma, engaging more of your senses and, in turn, enhancing the overall experience of the cocktail. Although traditional citrus peels, fresh herbs, fruit on a cocktail pick, and edible flowers should be part of your repertoire, you can also have fun with your drink’s flair.

Valentine’s Day is a great opportunity to try chocolate as a garnish. The sweet cuts through any harsh notes in whisky, allowing the full medley of flavors to come through, and the spirit can do the same thing in return, making the chocolate’s taste multidimensional. Place your favorite candy or a classic chocolate-covered fruit on the rim, drizzle syrup on top, or shave a high-quality bar over your drink. However you garnish, it’s a match made in heaven.

P.S. I Love You

Created by Lindsay Pawson, bartender, Bank & Bourbon, Philadelphia

“Relive your childhood with a peanut butter and jelly sandwich in liquid form,” Pawson says. “It’s a little jammy on the initial sip but leads the way to a creamy, nutty finish on the back end.”

• 1 3/4 oz. peanut butter fat-washed bourbon (recipe below)
• 1/4 oz. Chambord
• 1/4 oz. crème de cassis
• 1/4 oz. simple syrup
• 1 dash black walnut bitters
• Chocolate syrup, finely shaved dark chocolate, and Reese’s Peanut Butter Heart

Rim a rocks glass with chocolate syrup and roll in shaved dark chocolate. Add all ingredients to mixing glass with ice and stir for 30 seconds. Pour over fresh ice into prepared glass. Garnish with peanut butter heart on a pick.

Peanut Butter Fat-Washed Bourbon

• 4 oz. smooth creamy peanut butter
• 375 ml Evan Williams White Label (or other bottled in bond bourbon)
• 1 oz. water

Place peanut butter in a non-reactive container and add bourbon and water. Mix well (an emulsion blender works best). Place in the freezer for at least 24 to 48 hours. (The longer, the greater the flavor will be.) Remove from freezer and strain through cheesecloth. Strain a second time through a coffee filter if the bourbon is still cloudy. Store in a glass bottle in the freezer for up to 6 months.

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Sour

Created by James Sharpley, bartender and onsite sommelier, Pier House at La Mer Beachfront Resort, Cape May, New Jersey

“This cocktail is rich, velvety, and indulgently smooth, with the warmth of whiskey adding depth and a hint of tart lemon to balance the sweetness,” Sharpley says. “It feels like a love letter in a glass, perfect for sharing—or keeping all to yourself.”

• 2 oz. Buffalo Trace (or other bourbon)
• 1 oz. strawberry puree
• 1 oz. chocolate liqueur
• 3/4 oz. fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 oz. simple syrup
• Chocolate syrup, strawberry, and milk chocolate square for garnish

Combine all ingredients in a shaker tin with ice. Shake vigorously for 15 to 20 seconds. Strain into an Old Fashioned glass over ice. Garnish with strawberry and chocolate square, then drizzle chocolate syrup over top.

My Chocolate Valentine

Created by Harry Wright, general manager, Service Bar, Washington, D.C.

This tiki-inspired cocktail is fruity, slightly earthy, and refreshing. You can use bottled grenadine in a pinch, though homemade tastes better.

• 1 1/2 oz. Isle of Skye 8 year old (or other Islay blended scotch)
• 3/4 oz. homemade grenadine (recipe below)
• 3/4 oz. fresh pineapple juice
• 1/2 oz. fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 oz. Tempus Fugit Crème de Cacao
• Pineapple fronds and shaved milk chocolate for garnish

Add all ingredients to a pint glass or mason jar. Add crushed or pebble ice and swizzle until the glass is frosted, about 20 seconds. Garnish with pineapple fronds and a healthy dose of shaved milk chocolate on top.

Homemade Grenadine

• 16 oz. 100% pomegranate juice
• 1 3/4 cups sugar

Combine ingredients in a pan over medium heat. Cook, stirring until sugar is dissolved, about 4 to 5 minutes. Let cool, then transfer to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator up to 2 weeks.