Name me a depressing outdated cynic, however I’ve lengthy held onto the notion that Valentine’s Day is an occasion made up by one of many massive stationary chains, with the only real purpose of promoting extra schmaltzy-messaged greetings playing cards, heart-shaped balloons and doe-eyed teddy bears in reward luggage – and let’s face it, nothing screams ‘unromantic-last-minute-gesture’ like a teddy bear in a bag.
That mentioned, 14 February remains to be a golden alternative to bathe affection on our family members, and it may be enjoyable – given the precise location to create the right temper, or some beautiful romantic drinks to make at dwelling, as you select the right playlist or Netflix sequence to cosy as much as.
Romantic drinks for Valentine’s Day 2024, at dwelling or away
Make it Japanese-themed in London
(Picture credit score: Prince Akatoki)
While a visit with your beloved to see the cherry blossom season in Kyoto could be about as romantic because it will get, followers of Japanese tradition want look no additional than London’s Prince Akatoki resort for an genuine – and deeply romantic – number of cocktails particularly for Valentine’s Day 2024. The particular two-drink menu, entitled ‘A Journey Of Romance’ is a love letter to the senses.
Kai brings collectively Hibiki Japanese Concord blended whisky, Macallan 12-year-old single malt, kumquat essence, chilly brew sencha tea and spiced orgeat syrup. Its companion drink, Ai, contains Japanese gin, shiso, yuzu juice, a mirin discount and soda water. Each romantic drinks are good for sharing sips together with your associate too.
Every cocktail is priced at £18, princeakatokilondon.com
A romantic weekend on the coast, in Cornwall
Fal City, from Ugly Butterfly
(Picture credit score: Ugly Butterfly)
For those who’re planning a last-minute getaway, you’d be hard-pressed to seek out wherever extra romantic than the spectacular surroundings and coastal splendor of Cornwall, particularly Carbis Bay, which has grow to be one thing of a gastronomic sizzling spot, because of the brilliance of the Michelin-starred Ugly Butterfly, opened by famend chef, Adam Dealing with. The bar is completely pleasant and the sundown views throughout the ocean are well worth the journey alone. However romantic drinks are the order of the day and the Fal City, a splendidly novel tackle the dry martini matches the invoice completely, with native oyster shell-infused Belvedere vodka, Tarquin’s Cornish gin, completed off with a samphire and seaweed ocean foam, for extra wafts of aphrodisiac coastal delight.
£16, uglybutterfly.co.uk
A comfy metropolis break in Edinburgh or Glasgow
Love Coronary heart Crush, from August Home, Glasgow
(Picture credit score: August Home)
While you may’t predict the climate, you may cuddle up near your beloved and benefit from the warming hospitality of a few of the greatest cocktail bars within the UK. At August Home in Glasgow, you’ll discover some particularly curated Valentine’s Day cocktails, together with the Love Coronary heart Crush, lovingly made with Malfy Limone gin, watermelon syrup, contemporary lemon juice, topped up with soda and garnished with love coronary heart sweets. Over in Edinburgh on the luxurious Gleneagles Townhouse rooftop bar, The Lamplighters, you’ll discover a tropical-themed cocktail known as Caught In The Rain, made with vodka, banana, white chocolate and pineapple, which you and your associate can sip collectively while imagining your subsequent unique, extremely romantic journey collectively.
gleneagles.com/townhouse
augusthouse.co.uk
Cocktails in a field from Scarfes bar, London
Scarfe’s Valentine’s Cocktail Field
(Picture credit score: Rosewood Resort)
London’s elegantly appointed Scarfes bar located within the Rosewood Resort has lengthy been a favorite hang-out of mine and possesses an envious single malt whisky assortment for the discerning drinker. It has now curated a particular Valentine’s Cocktail Field, that includes an particularly bottled martini-style cocktail with Japanese Roku gin, 1757 Vermouth di Torino and peach, alongside two mini coupes, cocktail picks and a deck of Scarfes taking part in playing cards for the makings of an ideal night time in. Even higher, ebook an evening on the Rosewood and convey the field as much as your room to intensify the romantic gesture.
Valentine’s Cocktail Field, £98, rosewoodhotels.com
Cocktails at dwelling with tequila: the spirit to reignite the sizzle…
Komos Tequila Reposado Rosa
(Picture credit score: Courtesy Komos)
On face worth, regardless of how a lot pleasure it undoubtably incorporates, a bottle of tequila might not seem to be probably the most romantic of gestures. However given a number of rounds of decadent Paloma cocktails, or the odd Rose-Tinted Margarita, and issues can very a lot take an impassioned flip. Tequila model Komos has launched a slightly enjoyable reposado – or calmly aged expression – created by trade veteran and sommelier Richard Betts, which sees the often herbaceous spirit rested for 2 months in French oak barrels beforehand containing Cabernet purple wine from Napa Valley. The wine has imparted a rose-like hue to the spirit, alongside some beneficiant fruity notes, including color and depth to your cocktails. Purchase a bottle from Amathus in Soho and you may get it engraved with a romantic missive too.
Komos Tequila Reposado Rosa, £86 – £139, amathusdrinks.com
The final word stay-at-home Valentine’s Day cocktail equipment? Fairly probably…
Dima’s Vodka Pickled Martini Equipment For Two
(Picture credit score: Dima’s x Drinks)
For the delicate sipper in your life, issues simply received an entire lot easier, because of this well-curated Soiled Martini equipment from Drinksdistilled.co.uk, which goals to provide dwelling drinkers extra impressed confidence of their cocktail-making endeavours (extra concepts within the 60-Second Cocktails ebook). The equipment options all of the cocktail instruments you want – a bottle of Dimas vodka, which is distilled within the Ukraine, some pickled gerkins, pickle brine (slightly than the standard olive sort,) two gorgeous Nick & Nora glasses (the right dimension for martinis in my view) and a recipe from cocktail author and skilled Millie Milliken – and the Soiled Martini is a cracking aperitif to get the tastebuds enlivened earlier than any romantic meal. What’s extra, £5 from each sale goes in direction of first support kits within the Ukraine.
£85, drinksdistilled.co.uk
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