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The top 10 cocktails and drink gifts for Valentine’s Day
If you are planning a romantic date, creating cocktails at home or wanting to find the perfect gift for a loved one, db’s Jessica Mason and Eloise Feilden offers its collection of cocktails and drinks gifts for Valentine’s Day.
Bee Mine
Ingredients:
1.5 oz Aberfeldy 12
1 oz espresso
0.5 oz salted honey syrup*
Glass: Coupe
Garnish: 3 espresso beans and gold shimmer
Method: Add Aberfeldy, salted honey and espresso to a shaker tin. Add ice and shake vigorously for 30 seconds. Strain into a coupe glass and garnish with 3 espresso beans. It’s as easy as that.
*Salted honey syrup: Add 1 part boiling water to 2 parts honey and two large pinches of sea salt and fully integrate. Let cool before using.
G’Vine Amour
Fred Sirieix, the French maître d’hôtel best known for appearing on Channel 4’s First Dates and BBC Two’s Million Pound Menu, has created the G’Vine Amour; a Valentine’s cocktail that is simple to make at home using just five ingredients.
“Be bold this Valentine’s Day and impress your loved ones by stepping away from classic cocktails,” the Frenchman said. “My G’Vine Amour combines the smoothness of grape with the sweetness of vermouth resulting in a surprising and delicious way to celebrate Valentine’s Day.”
Ingredients:
90 ml G’Vine Floraison
4 tsp Lemon Juice
Approx 20 Red Grapes
1 tsp Sugar
60 ml Sweet Vermouth
Method: Blend grapes, gin, lemon juice, sugar, and vermouth until smooth. Strain into a two glasses filled with ice and garnished with lemon peel and a red flower or petal.
Apple of My Eye
Ingredients:
2 parts Teeling Small Batch Irish Whiskey
4 parts Apple Cider
½ part Honey
Garnish: Apple Slice
Glass: Highball
Method: Add all ingredients to a shaker, using a bar spoon twice to collect the honey. Shake until chilled and fine strain into Highball glass with ice. Garnish with an apple slice.
St Maur’s Valentines’ cocktail
This cocktail was first created for the St Maur founders’ wedding day, and is now being shared with the world.
Ingredients
50ml St Maur
50ml dry gin
Freshly squeeze juice of one lemon
Dry English sparkling wine
Garnish: Dry rose petals
Method: Shake the St Maur, gin, and lemon juice with ice in a cocktail shaker, or stir in a jug with ice. Moisten the rim of two flute glasses with creme de cassis and “ice” with caster sugar. Carefully strain the cocktail mix into the flutes, pouring equally between the two. Top up with a dry English sparkling wine.
Takes Two to Mango
Ingredients:
1.5 oz Aberfeldy 12
5 oz honey syrup
1 oz mango puree
0.5 oz lemon juice
0.25 oz St~Germain
2 dashes Angostura bitters
Ice: Cube
Glass: Rocks
Garnish: Mango spear
Method: Add all ingredients to tins, add ice and shake vigorously for 20-30 seconds. Strain into a rocks glass and fill with ice. Garnish with a spear of fresh mango.
Drinks gifts
Mr Black Espresso Martini Pack
WHY IT’S GREAT FOR VALENTINE’S DAY
Mr Black, ideal for an espresso martini lover, has lots of richness and heaps of luxurious appeal. If you know someone who likes coffee, or has their own home bar, then this is for them. The Espresso Martini Pack includes everything you need to make the ultimate espresso martini at home- featuring 1x Mr Black Cold Brew Coffee Liqueur 500ml, 1x Branded Coupe Glass and 1x Coffee Cocktail Booklet.
TASTING NOTE
A big, brash, bitter-sweet dark-roast. This is a coffee liqueur for proper coffee drinkers with a long finish, with big notes of caramel, dark spice, cacao and anise. Coffee connoisseurs will love it.
PERFECT PAIRING
Probably the best affogato you’ll ever make.
WHERE TO BUY IT
Available from Amazon
PRICE
£32.99
Love by Chateau Léoube
WHY IT’S GREAT FOR VALENTINE’S DAY
It’s an organic Provence rosé called ‘Love’ so perfect to order in and bottles of it even double as a Valentine’s gift. It is also available as a sparkling wine too.
TASTING NOTE
Red berries, wild flowers, melon and Acacia.
PERFECT PAIRING
Mediterranean cuisine.
WHERE TO BUY IT
PRICE
£18.85 for a bottle of the still wine. £25.50 for a bottle of the fizz.
Original Stormtrooper Valentine’s beer box
WHY IT’S GREAT FOR VALENTINE’S DAY
Essentially, it’s a unique Valentine’s Day selection that’s perfect to share, but also a great gift for sci-fi fans and film buffs. The box of beers, brewed in Yorkshire, includes: 1 x 330 ml cans of SNIPA – Situation Normal India Pale Ale (4.4% ABV – suitable for Vegans); 1 x 330 ml cans of Galactic Pale Ale 2.0 (4.8% ABV) – Vegan Friendly; 1 x 330 ml can of Lightspeed Pilsner (5.0% ABV); 1 x 330 ml cans of Shadow Stout (6.6% ABV); 1 x 330 ml can of Space Hopera New England Pale Ale (6.6% ABV) as well as an stormtrooper toughened craft beer glass. A packet of beer snacks and four stormtrooper beer mats.
TASTING NOTE
A variation of beers from bitter and piney through to crisp, refreshing and indulgent. Something for everyone.
PERFECT PAIRING
Pair with your favourite sci-fi film, natch.
WHERE TO BUY IT
Available to buy online and via retailers including Sainsbury’s, Morrisons and MenKind as well as via the webshop.
PRICE
£20.99 for the whole kit.
Les Amours d’Haut Gléon rosé 2020, Vignobles Foncalieu
WHY IT’S GREAT FOR VALENTINE’S DAY
From the white thermo cherub design on the bottle to the blushing pink colour of the wine – this wine speaks romance.
TASTING NOTE
Gentle cream, peach and floral aromas lead on to crisp white fruit with hints of redcurrants and crunchy red apples. A classic blend of Grenache and Syrah cultivated on clay and limestone, the wine has both freshness and ripeness.
PERFECT PAIRING
Try with smoked salmon or a classic prawn cocktail to kick off the evening.
WHERE TO BUY IT
Temple Wine and United Cellars
PRICE
Approximately €6.50 per bottle.
Bombay Bramble Gin
WHY IT’S GREAT FOR VALENTINE’S DAY
Bombay Bramble sports an attractive jewel-toned ruby red colouring and yet has a refined, balanced, all-natural flavour. People can get also get bottles engraved for an extra £5 on the distillery site
TASTING NOTE
Bombay Bramble has a rich berry flavour because it is made with fresh blackberries and raspberries harvested at their ripest moment which is then perfectly paired with the gin’s bright juniper notes.
PERFECT PAIRING
A splash of tonic and served alongside any kind of creamy dessert. Perfect with clafoutis.
WHERE TO BUY IT
Tescos, Sainsburys, Morrisons or online via various retailers.
PRICE
Approximately £23 per bottle although available at better prices when on offer.
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