Romantic Cocktails To Make Date Night Extra Special
A great date night is full of flirtatious flutters, exhilarating excitement and thirsty anticipation. At least that’s what you’re hoping for. Whether you’re on your very first date filled with butterflies and dreams, or you’ve been married for 10 years, had three children, sent them off to their grandparents, and are finally about to get some alone time with your darling spouse – going that extra mile to make an effort won’t go unnoticed. From Valentine’s Day to every day, our resident cocktail expert, August Svensson, has the perfect cocktails to profess your love on your next date night.
A Kiss Above the Clouds
Light some candles, put some romantic music on, and show off your mixology skills by serving up a deliciously dark, suavely sensual cocktail. This rum-based adaptation of the classic Manhattan balances the warming richness of a dark rum with the unctuously herbaceous flavour profile of a sweet vermouth. Accented with whisky, coffee, and a double dash of chocolate bitters, it’s a complex concoction of flavour that will take you above the clouds.
“One of China's best bartenders, Cross Yu, created this incredible variation of the Manhattan cocktail with dark rum instead of American whisky. I always recommend using premium ingredients and Captain Morgan Dark Rum is an incredible choice of rum, which will help improve an already great-tasting cocktail.”
French 21
Take your date to Paris, the city of love, from the comfort of home. The French 21 is a classy glass of elegance that oozes effortless romance. Red and bubbly, you can’t go wrong with this cocktail. The crisp vodka is awakened by the astringency of the tangy lemon, which is then sweetened with the striking red raspberry liqueur and topped off with a splash of bubbles for a playful effervescence. Add a cute garnish to make this drink adorably irresistible.
“A long lemon twist is a perfect garnish for this cocktail. Using a peeler, or sharp knife, peel at least 5cm of lemon rind. Turn the peel upside down and carefully remove as much white fleshy pith as possible. Express the oils over your glass, twist your peel and gently place in your drink for a great garnish.”
White Chocolate Martini
There’s a reason why chocolate sales boom around Valentine’s Day. It's an aphrodisiac. People have been gifting chocolate to show their love for centuries, because it’s one of those ingredients that releases the feel-good love hormones. Turn on your dopamine receptors with this ambrosial, creamy cocktail that gives new meaning to Martini. Simply shake some creamy vodka, white chocolate liqueur, and white Créme De Cacao, for this buttery, sweet treat.
“The Chocolate Martini is an excellent cocktail that can be made even if you don’t have white chocolate liqueur. Simply whip up a homemade chocolate ganache the night before and refrigerate until it’s time to serve. Try grating some of your favourite chocolate on top to add an extra special touch.”
Strawberry Daiquiri
It should come as no surprise that strawberries are featuring twice on this list of romantic cocktails. Those heart-shaped, remarkably red, succulently soft little fruits have become quite the symbol of love. The Strawberry Daiquiri is a testament to its eponymous ingredient in this charming Cuban cocktail. Coupled with a warming, spicy rum, fresh limes, and a cooling sprig of mint, the strawberries sing beautifully across these wonderfully sapid flavours and marry them together in way will be sure to sweeten your sweetheart.
“Fresh strawberries are incredibly delicious but can create a bit of a mess when used in cocktails. If you add them to a shaker, it’s important to fine-strain the liquid to hold back the mushy bits that aren't so pleasant in a cocktail. Alternatively, you could use a strawberry syrup, or oleo saccharum, to add sugar and strawberries in one go. For the syrup, dissolve 2 parts white caster sugar with 1 part water on medium heat and add a handful of strawberries. Leave to infuse for at least 10 minutes before straining out. For the oleo saccharum, use equal weight of chopped strawberries and sugar, leave them in a covered container overnight at room temperature and fine strain in the morning. For both variations, bottle and refrigerate for up to two weeks.”
Passion Fruit Caipiroska
Looking for some passion on date night? You’ll find it here. The Passion Fruit Caipiroska is a lively, summery, vibrant drink that balances citrusy, tart flavours with sweet, nectareous joy. The vodka provides a clear base for the bittersweet passion fruit to bounce off of, sweetened with simple syrup and the caramelly molasses of brown sugar. Allow the flavours to dance on your palate with this fun, refreshing Brazilian cocktail and see where the night takes you.
“A non-flavoured vodka is normally recommended for a passionfruit Caiprioska, however Ketel One can help bring a little extra zing to your cocktail. And if you can’t get your hands on the fresh fruit, you can also use 20ml of high-quality passionfruit puree to add those lovely tropical flavours.”
One Night
Take your date to The American Bar at The Savoy Hotel, without going anywhere. Created by its head bartender, Eric Lorincz, One Night is a simple cocktail that you can create at home, backed by the credentials of one of London’s best bars. A single malt whisky carries the complexity of spicy pimento dram (a rum-based herbal liqueur flavoured with allspice) whilst picking up the tartness of lemon, the sweetness of sugar, and the viscosity of egg white. Topped with aromatic bitters and a violet spray, these layered flavours will be sure to take you on a journey.
“Adding a spray of violet just before serving helps bring the drink to a new level without altering the flavour. The Pimento Dram is given a chance to step forward with the help of the herbaceous flavours of the violet spray, working wonders with the nutty caramel notes of The Singleton.”
Over to you
And there you have our nine most romantic cocktails to take you to cloud nine, whether you’re celebrating Valentine’s Day, an anniversary, or you just want to spend some quality time with your special someone. We can’t promise fireworks, but we can promise that these cocktails will be sure to get you in the good books for effort, thoughtfulness, and loving care. The rest is up to you.
