Valentine’s Day Cocktails

Since today is St. Valentine’s Day, I thought I would write a blog about Valentine’s Day drinks. I am a purest and would drink a straight Bourbon neat – probably a Four Roses Al Young Small Batch, but there are a couple of cocktails I have found in The Kentucky Bourbon Cocktail Book, by Joy Perrine and Susan Reigler, I thought might interest my readers.

Chocolate Cinnamon Heart

1 ½ ounces cinnamon infused Bourbon

1 ounce Tuaca

½ ounce brown sugar syrup

1 ounce Godiva chocolate liqueur

Shake all of the ingredients over ice and strain into a chilled Martini glass. Garnish with a cherry dipped in dark chocolate.

Strawberry Love Bites

3 large strawberries

Coarse brown sugar (Bourbon Barrel Foods Vanilla Sugar is excellent)

1 ounce strawberry-infused Bourbon

½ ounce brown sugar syrup

I ounce caramel sauce, honey or Bourbon Barrel Vanilla Sorghum

1 teaspoon toasted, chopped almonds

½ ounce Tuaca

Remove the stems from the strawberries and hollow them out to hold the drink. Dip the rims in coarse brown sugar. Put the caramel (or other) sauce into a large Martini glass and sprinkle the remaining brown sugar and almonds on top. Carefully place the strawberries in the glass. Shake the Bourbon, brown sugar syrup and the Tuaca over ice and pour into the strawberries. Garnish with a fresh mint sprig and serve with a small sipping straw and a small spoon.

I hope you enjoy these cocktails on Valentine’s Day, they are sure to impress your loved one.