18 Cocktails to Make for Valentine's Day

Very Sexy Martini cocktail — Very Sexy Martini Image:
Liquor.com / Tim Nusog

Love is worth celebrating any day of the year, but February 14 is an especially good occasion to swap your usual Martini or Manhattan for something a little more special. Whether you’re looking to break out the bubbly, shake up a pretty pink drink, or consume the holiday’s ubiquitous chocolates in liquid form, you’ll find the perfect drink on this list.

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Pink Lady

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A two-spirit punch of gin and applejack makes this cocktail more serious than it appears. The two are joined in the shaker by lemon juice and an egg white, with a touch of grenadine lending its tart, fruity sweetness and giving the Lady its classic good looks.

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Chocolate Martini

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You could buy your loved ones a box of chocolates…or you can shake up this decadent concoction of vodka, chocolate liqueur, creme de cacao, and half-and-half. A Martini in name (and glassware) only, it can double as drinkable dessert.

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Rose-Colored Glass

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Landing somewhere between a French 75 and a Champagne Cocktail, this festive yet low-ABV drink from bar pro Katie Stipe mixes lemon juice, simple syrup, and aromatic bitters. It swaps out the expensive classic bubbly for rosé sparkling wine, with a rose-petal garnish adding additional romance.

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Rose

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If your sweetheart would prefer a creative cocktail to a bouquet of roses, mix up this cocktail from drinks pro and distiller Allen Katz instead. Dry vermouth is the unexpected primary ingredient, accented by cherry brandy, while a homemade raspberry syrup lends a lovely hue.

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Toblerone

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Try the classic candy in decadent liquid form with this rich, nutty, chocolatey combination of Baileys, Frangelico, Kahlúa, and heavy cream, all garnished with shavings of the Swiss chocolate treat that serves as the drink’s inspiration. The secret to replicating the chocolate’s almond-honey nougat: a homemade honey syrup.

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Bitter Hearts Know Better

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This twist on a Gimlet gets a boost from flavorful gentian amaro, or Italian bitter liqueur, which also gives it its name. A hibiscus-infused gin pulls double duty, contributing floral notes while rendering the drink its gorgeous pink shade. A pink sugared rim keeps the amaro’s bitterness in check with a Valentine-appropriate touch.

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Pink Squirrel

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A pink chocolate cocktail? You read right. This drink relies on white creme de cacao for deep cocoa notes and creme de noyeaux, a bitter almond liqueur with similarities to amaretto, for its pastel hue. The two liqueurs are joined by a hefty amount of heavy cream, ensuring this rich drink is elevated to dessert-drink status.

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Tootsie Roll

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This nostalgia-inspired cocktail is a surprisingly grown-up drink, essentially a twist on a Manhattan, employing rye whiskey, sweet Pedro Ximénez sherry, and chocolate bitters. As is the case with its namesake candy, it’s hard to limit yourself to just one.

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Between the Sheets

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This Prohibition-era cousin of the Sidecar includes the same cognac, orange liqueur, and fresh lemon juice, plus a splash of rum adds intrigue. This version of the classic cocktail gets finished with the expressed oils from a flamed orange peel for extra fragrance and flair.

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Sparkling Rose

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In the vein of a French 75 crossed with a Watermelon Margarita, this effervescent drink combines tequila, watermelon and lemon juices, and simple syrup, all topped with sparkling rosé. It’s bubbly, fruity, and refreshing all at once.

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Kiss

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Gin, sweet vermouth, maraschino liqueur, and the aromatized wine Dubonnet rouge make this drink almost as satisfying as a smooch. Its ingredient list is similar to that of the classic Martinez, but the Dubonnet adds a certain bittersweet complexity to the drink, not unlike some kisses you may have shared.

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Love & Murder

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Like its name, the two liqueurs that comprise this cocktail, Campari and green Chartreuse, evoke passionate emotions. And they work surprisingly well together in this cocktail from Porchlight’s bar director, Nick Bennett, where the two are joined by lime juice, simple syrup, and a few drops of saline solution to highlight their complementary characters.

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Rumplesnuggler

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Keep the warm and fuzzy feelings alive with a boozy take on hot chocolate. This one gets spiked with Baileys and Rumple Minze peppermint schnapps for the perfect après-ski (or après-dinner) treat.

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Bit of Tongue

Erin Trimble

Topped with cava and garnished with an orange twist, this drink looks the part of a typical sparkling wine cocktail. But it also lives up to its cheeky name, owing to a split base of bitter liqueur Aperol and a surprisingly large splash of absinthe, plus a touch of vinegary grapefruit shrub.

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Guava Rose

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Wherever in the world you might currently be, evoke the tropics in the midst of February with this frozen blend of the Brazilian spirit cachaça, lime juice, and guava puree. Rose syrup adds an unexpected floral note, echoed by a lovely rose petal garnish.

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Blinker

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As far as pink cocktails are concerned, gin and vodka seem to have all the fun. We raise you this rose-hued classic whiskey cocktail: Rye whiskey gets shaken with grapefruit juice and raspberry syrup (older versions of the Blinker call for grenadine, which lends an equally rosy hue) for a drink that’s as potent as it is pretty.

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La Violetta

Adele’s

If you can’t choose between cocktails and red wine for your special evening, allow this drink to make your decision easier. A mix of gin, crème de violette, and lemon juice gets topped with the Italian sparkling red wine lambrusco, creating a cocktail that’s floral, earthy, and elegant.

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Very Sexy Martini

Liquor.com / Tim Nusog

Citrus-flavored vodka, lime juice, and simple syrup mean this vodka cocktail shares more in common with a Cosmopolitan or a Lemon Drop than a Martini, but setting that aside, its name is accurate. Calling for muddled raspberries and mint, and topped with rosé Champagne, it’s very pink and, yes, very sexy.

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