Champagne, step aside. You’re not the only one who can drink on Valentine’s Day. We recommend mixing up any of the following cocktails, which range in color from delicate blush to blood red, for the most romantic Valentine’s Day ever.
However, color isn’t the only factor that distinguishes a drink as a Valentine’s Day cocktail. Because of their complex flavor profiles (because what relationship isn’t complicated?), these drinks scream romance. and appealing presentations (no further explanation required).
Are you ready to begin pouring? We’ve got your back.
Here are the best cocktails for Valentine’s Day.
The Midnight Sun Dance
Photo by Heami Lee
This blood-red cocktail, dreamed up by cocktail maven Fanny Chu, was inspired by the few weeks of summer when the sun never sets above the Arctic Circle. A marriage of vermouth, Sherry, aged rum, and dry sparkling wine, this festive drink gets a sweet and acidic lift from strawberry preserves.
Get the Recipe: The Midnight Sun Dance
Strawberry Daiquiri
Photo by Tom Arena
Forget those slushy, overly sweet strawberry daiquiris of yore. This rose-hued, grown-up version gets a lift from bitter Fernet and earthy mezcal.
Get the Recipe: A Modern Take on the Strawberry Daiquiri
The Mad About You Cocktail
The Mad About You Cocktail / Photo by Tom Arena
Opposites attract to this unlikely drink, which throws together bourbon and Madeira wine syrup to excellent effect. Its bright red color makes this moody delight perfect for sipping with a special someone.
Get the Recipe: Bourbon and Madeira Make the Ultimate Whiskey Sour
The Classic Pink Lady
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Grenadine is what makes the Pink Lady its iconic shade of pink, but gin and applejack deliver the drink’s one-two punch. The addition of one egg white delivers its characteristic foam.
Get the Recipe: The Classic Pink Lady Cocktail Recipe
Rosé French 75
Photo by Meg Baggott
This pretty-in-pink rosé-based cocktail is bubbly, refreshing, and perfect for a Valentine’s Day brunch.
Get the Recipe: A French 75 Cocktail with a Rosé Twist
Bloody Jasmine
Bloody Jasmine Cocktail / Photo courtesy of Four Pillars Gin
Bartender Sam Ng is responsible for this ruby-hued sipper, which balances the bite of its bitter Campari and lemon juice with Four Pillars Bloody Shiraz Gin, an Australian dry gin distilled with juice from Shiraz grapes.
Get the Recipe: Bloody Jasmine Cocktail
Mulled Rosé with Ginger and Grapefruit
Photo by Meg Baggott / Styling by Dylan Garret
Feeling chilled this V-Day? Warm up with this steaming treat, which recruits a plethora of pink ingredients, including dry rosé wine, pink peppercorns, and grapefruit.
Get the Recipe: Mulled Rosé with Ginger and Grapefruit
Hibiscus Sangria
Photo by Meg Baggott
This vibrantly-colored drink, already red from two bottles’ worth of red wine, gets an additional colorful boost from flor de Jamaica, a species of hibiscus used to make a strikingly red infusion with a rich citrus flavor. Meanwhile, Blanco tequila and triple sec ensure this sangria delivers a solid kick.
Get the Recipe: Hibiscus Sangria (Sangria de Jamaica)
A Cosmopolitan Cocktail Perfect for Wine Lovers
Photo by Penny De Los Santos
The addition of off-dry Riesling puts a romantic spin on the classic Cosmo. Aperol lends a bitter undercurrent, while elderflower liqueur offers a lifting floral note.
Get the Recipe: A Cosmopolitan Cocktail Perfect for Wine Lovers
Reposado Martinez
Aged tequila and red wine mix with maraschino liqueur to produce this sweet, booze-forward drink. A deep shade of red, it’s bound to make even the stoniest among us blush.
Get the Recipe: Reposado Martinez
St. Charles Punch
Photo by Tom Arena
Ruby Port and Cognac make for a strong base in this versatile sipper, which can be served either ice cold or warm like mulled wine.
Get the Recipe: A St. Charles Punch with a Port Wine Twist
Mississippi Bourbon Punch
Photo by Chelsea Kyle
Are you throwing a V-Day shindig for a crowd this year? This colorful bourbon-spiked punch will do the trick. This recipe—which also features two bottles of dry white wine, grenadine, and cranberry, orange, and lime juices—serves 12 to 14 thirty souls.
Get the Recipe: Mississippi Bourbon Punch Recipe
Berry Revenge Cocktail
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Some hearts can’t be mended. For them, there’s the Berry Revenge Cocktail, which calls on fiery green chile-infused vodka to produce a spicy Valentine’s Day sipper.
Get the Recipe: Berry Revenge Cocktail
Non-Alcoholic Apertif Spritz
Photo by Sarah Anne Ward / Prop Styling by Paola Andrea / Food Styling by Maggie Ruggiero
Looking for a booze-free treat to sip this V-Day? This blush-colored number, which gets its hue from Willred’s Bittersweet Aperitif—a Campari-adjacent, zero-proof offering—delivers effervescence from sparkling water and a floral aroma from elderflower syrup.
Get the Recipe: Non-Alcoholic Apertif Spritz
The Mezcal-Port Negroni
Photo by Tom Arena
Robust mezcal, tawny Port, and coffee-infused Campari give the classic Negroni a zippy update.
Get the Recipe: A New Take On an Old Favorite: The Mezcal-Port Negroni
