The Knockturnal’s 2026 Valentine’s Day Cocktail And Spirits Roundup

Spice up your v-day with each sip

Tequila

Margarita Azul

Ingredients

Mandarin Margarita

Ingredients

Method: Add all of your ingredients to a mixing glass. Give it a quick shake. Give a double rocks glass a half salt rim and fine strain the cocktail into it. Add some ice and garnish with the leaves left over from your mandarins. Cheers!

Mango Margarita

Ingredients

Method: Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice. Shake and strain over fresh ice into a double rocks glass. Garnish with a lime wedge.

Disaronno Disarita

Ingredients

Method: Pour the ingredients into a shaker and double strain into a margarita glass. Garnish with lime wedge.

Le Marg

Ingredients

Method: Rim a rocks glass with “salgar” (half salt, half sugar). Add all ingredients to a shaker filled with ice and shake well. Strain into a rocks glass filled with ice. Garnish with a lime wedge.

Pink Margarita

Ingredients:

  • 1 oz Cointreau
  • 1 oz Fresh Lime Juice
  • 1 Top Grapefruit Soda
  • 2 oz Tequila

Method:  Add all ingredients except soda in a shaker.  Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.  Top with soda.  Garnish with a grapefruit twist

 

Laelia Mexica Margarita 

Ingredients

  • 1.5 oz Laelia Tequila
  • 1 oz Licor de Elote
  • .75 oz Pineapple Juice
  • .5 oz Lime Juice
  • .25 oz Agave Nectar
  • 1 Pinch of Salt

Glassware: Rocks

Method: Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice and shake vigorously. Strain over fresh ice into rocks glass.

Garnish: Lime wheel and corn husk

 

Spicy Watermelon Margarita
  • 2 Parts Espolòn Blanco or Espolòn Reposado
  • 1 Part Watermelon Syrup
  • .75 Parts Lime juice
  • 2 Dashes Hellfire Bitters

Method: Add all ingredients to a shaker tin. Shake with ice and double strain into a rocks glass that has been rimmed with Tajín. Optional watermelon slice garnish.

 

Hibiscus Cooler 

Ingredients:

  • 1.5 oz. Dos Hombres Mezcal
  • .50 oz. Agave Syrup 
  • .75 oz. Fresh Lime Juice 
  • 1 oz. Hibiscus Tea 
  • Top with soda water 

Instructions: Add all ingredients (minus soda water) to a shaker tin with ice. Shake then strain into a rocks glass over ice. Top with soda water. Garnish with dried hibiscus flowers and lime wheel. Enjoy!

 

Like A Bird

Ingredients:
Directions: Wet half rim of a 12oz glass with a lime and dip rim in kosher salt.  Combine the tequila, mezcal, agave syrup, lime juice and grapefruit juice in a shaker.  Fill shaker with ice, then shake vigorously
Tequila Martini

Ingredients:

  • 1.5 ounces Tres Agaves Tequila Blanco
  • .75 ounce vermouth
  • Half a lemon, freshly squeeze
  • 2 dashes orange bitters
  • Lemon twist for garnish

Directions: Add tequila, vermouth, lemon juice and bitters into a shaker.  Fill shaker with ice, then shake vigorously for 30 seconds.  Double strain and pour into a martini glass./. Garnish with lemon twist

 

Ilegal Mezcal No Sé Smash

Ingredients:

  • 2 oz Ilegal Mezcal Joven
  • 0.75 oz lime juice
  • 0.75 orgeat simple syrup*
  • 5 berries of choice
  • Angostura bitters

*Orgeat syrup is made from almonds, sugar, and floral water. Available at most liquor stores.

Instructions: Put all ingredients into a rocks glass.  Muddle and fill with crushed ice, shake.   Add 6 drops Angostura bitters

 

Lovestruck Paloma 

Ingredients:

  • 1.5 oz Tequila Centinela Clásico Blanco
  • 1 oz fresh grapefruit juice
  • 0.5 oz blood orange juice
  • 0.5 oz lime juice
  • 0.5 oz agave syrup
  • Sparkling mineral water, to top

Instructions: Rim a highball glass with pink citrus salt. Add tequila, grapefruit juice, blood orange juice, lime juice, and agave syrup to a shaker with ice.  Shake lightly and strain into the prepared glass filled with ice.  Top with sparkling mineral water and garnish Grapefruit slice

Cupid’s Arrow

Ingredients:

  • 2 oz. Teremana Blanco
  • 1 oz. Lime Juice
  • .5 Agave Syrup
  • 1 oz. Strawberry Puree
  • 2 dashes of Balsamic Vinegar
  • 8 to 10 Mint Leaves
  • Glassware: Rocks Glass

Garnish: Garnish with a mint sprig

Method: In a cocktail shaker, add Teremana, lime juice, agave syrup, and mint. Gently muddle. Then addstrawberry puree & balsamic vinegar. Shake with ice and strain into rocks glass over fresh ice.

Pretty in Pink

Ingredients:

  • 2 oz El Tequileño Platinum
  • 0.5 oz fresh lime juice
  • 2 oz Pink Lemonade
  • 1 bar spoon agave syrup
  • 0.75 oz triple sec
  • Top with soda

Glassware: Highball

Garnish: Raspberries, edible flowers, and a cucumber ribbon

Method: Add all ingredients except soda to a shaker over cubed ice. Shake until ice cold. Strain into a highball glass over cubed ice and top with soda. Garnish with raspberries, edible flowers and a cucumber ribbon.

Vodka

Empire Spirit

Ingredients: 

  • ALB Vodka
  • Nobu Champagne
  • Cranberry Yuzku Kosho Cardial 
  • Grand Marnier Centenaire
  • Fresh Lemon Juice
  • Garnish: Dehydrated Orange (Cranberry Yuzu Kosho Marinated)

Glass: Martini Glass

 

Espresso Martini

Available at: Hello Hello 

Ingredients

  • 1.5 oz Ketel One Vodka
  • 1 oz 11th Hour Coffee Liqueur
  • 1.25 oz Espresso
  • .5 oz Pomegranate Demerara
  • 2 oz Jasmine Cream Tea
  • .5 oz Super Foam
  • 2 Dash Angostura Bitter
  • 1 Dash Smoked Saline
  • 1 Dash Saline

Method:Draft

Garnish: Nutmeg

Gin

Coming Up Roses

Ingredients: 

  • 2 oz Empress 1908 Elderflower Rose Gin
  • 0.75 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
  • 0.5 oz Lillet Rosé
  • 0.5 oz Raspberry Syrup
  • Egg White
  • Garnish: Fresh Raspberries

InstructionsAdd ingredients to a cocktail shaker and shake without ice to emulsify egg white.  Add ice to tin then shake again. Strain into chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with fresh raspberries.

 

Sloe Gin Fizz

Ingredients:

Glassware: Highball Glass 

Ice: Cubed

Garnish: Lemon wheel 

Method: Dry shake all ingredients (except club soda). Shake a second time with cubed ice. Double strain into a highball glass over fresh ice. Top with club soda and lemon wheel.

Whiskey/Bourbon

The Rémy Espresso

Ingredients:

How to make: Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker and shake with ice.  Strain twice.  Serve in a classic coupe or martini glass. Garnish with espresso beans.

 

The Rémy Toffee Sour

Ingredients:

How to make:  Shake 50 ml (1¾ oz) of Rémy Martin 1738 Accord Royal, 20 ml (⅔ oz) of lime juice or Verjuice and 15 ml (½ oz) of toffee syrup with ice. Double strain into a chilled coupette glass.  Garnish with a slice of toasted bread.

 

Knob Creek Old Fashioned
  • 1 1/2 parts 9 Year Old Bourbon Whiskey
  • 3 Dashes Angostura Bitters
  • Pinch of raw sugar
  • 1 Orange peel
Method: In a rocks glass, muddle the sugar and bitters. Add ice, then pour the bourbon on top. Stir gently to mix. Garnish with a sliver of orange peel.

 

Honey Bourbon Gold Rush

Ingredients:

Directions: Stir honey and water in a cocktail shaker until the honey is dissolved.  Add bourbon and lemon juice..  Shake and strain into a rocks glass filled with ice and garnish with a lemon slice and cherry.

The Smokefather

Ingredients:

  • 40ml Smokehead 15 Year Old
  • 20ml Shanky’s Whip (or whisky liqueur)
  • 5ml Vanilla Syrup
  • 2 dashes of Angostura Bitters

Method: Build in a rocks glass over ice.  Stir gently to integrate all ingredients.  Garnish with an orange wedge or a chocolate disk

 

Penelope Bourbon

Penelope Bourbon has partnered with beloved home décor brand Serena & Lily to unveil a first-of-its-kind spirits collaboration: Beaufain Four Grain Bourbon—a true toast to Southern elegance, design, and craftsmanship.

The bespoke bottle features a floral motif inspired by historic wallpaper discovered in an 1838 Charleston, South Carolina home on Beaufain Street. Drawing from Serena & Lily’s signature use of pattern, texture, and timeless beauty, Beaufain represents a unique crossover between the worlds of coastal design and fine bourbon.

Born from a shared appreciation for style, quality, and artistry, the partnership is a natural fit and is especially timely with the opening of Serena & Lily’s inaugural Charleston storefront this month.

Bottles can be ordered at SharedPour and at select Charleston-area retailers, while supplies last.

To toast the collaboration, mixologist Nic Wallace created the Lowcountry Lilt, a bright yet balanced cocktail designed to showcase Beaufain’s refined character.

Lowcountry Lilt Recipe 

  • Penelope Beaufain Bourbon
  • White crème de cacao
  • Bitter aperitif
  • Orgeat
  • Fresh lemon juice
  • Aromatic bitters & saline
  • Served up with a long lemon curl

Highland Park

  • For the whisky lover: Highland Park Cask Strength: HeatherHighland Park Cask Strength: Heather is a striking Valentine’s Day gift for those who appreciate intensity and individuality. As the first release in the brand’s refreshed Cask Strength series, it captures the wild romance of Orkney through its signature heathered peat – aromatic, smoky, and impossible to replicate. Bottled straight from the cask, it’s made for slow evenings, shared pours, and celebrating love with something truly unforgettable.

  •  A timeless favorite: Highland Park 18 -A classic that never goes out of style, Highland Park 18 Year Old is a romantic choice for Valentine’s Day. Naturally glowing amber straight from the cask, it’s rich, layered, and effortlessly elegant—perfect for celebrating love with a quiet toast, a candlelit dinner, or a gift that feels both meaningful and enduring.

  •  For a festive, easy-to-make cocktail: Highland Park Bloom-ling  cocktail uses Highland Park 12 Year Old as its base, blending bright citrus, subtle sweetness, and a hint of Orkney heather into a naturally pink, celebratory serve – perfect for Valentine’s Day, a cozy night in, or an effortless at-home toast.

Russell’s Reserve

For the whiskey lover in your life, gift a bottle rooted in heritage and legacy, one he’ll remember long after the holiday.

Russell’s Reserve, from the Campari Group, offers standout bourbon and rye at a range of price points, making it an easy gift for any budget. Even better, it’s a bottle meant to be opened and enjoyed on the occasion itself.

 

Rum

  • For the friend who loves making cocktails: Don Q Reserva 7 (SRP: $35.99)
    •  Aged a minimum of 7 years in American white oak barrels, the Reserva 7 is a smooth, bright rum with notes of roasted coffee, dark chocolate, and warm spice. Its balanced character makes it an ideal base for crafting elevated cocktails, while still refined enough to enjoy neat. A versatile bottle that brings both depth and mixability to the holiday bar cart.
  • A standout for fans of warm, spiced flavors: Don Q Oak Barrel Spiced (SRP: $41.99)
    •  A refined take on spiced rum, this expression is aged for at least 3 years and infused with natural spices like vanilla, cinnamon, and caramel. Rich and warming, it’s a great pick for the spiced spirits lover who wants something a step above the usual.
  • For the collector or connoisseur: Don Q Gran Reserva (SRP: $58.99)
    • An ultra-premium blend of rums aged 9–12 years (plus select Solera rums up to 50 years), this elegant spirit offers deep, smooth notes of vanilla, oak, and toasted almond. A standout gift for the serious sipper or a luxurious addition to any home bar.

Guavalicious

Ingredients:

  • 1½ oz Don Q Reserva 7 Rum
  • 2oz Guava juice
  • ⅓oz Fresh lime juice
  • 1tsp Coco Lopez® Cream of Coconut

Method: Shake all ingredients with ice. Strain over ice in a rocks glass. Garnish with an edible flower and a piece of coconut shell.

 

Coconut Grapefruit Brunch Fizz

Ingredients:

  • Honey and shredded coconut for preparing the glass
  • 1 oz Kōloa Kaua‘i Coconut Rum
  • 2 oz fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice
  • 1–2 oz fizzy coconut water, to top

Directions:
Chill the grapefruit juice and coconut water ahead of time. Brush a Champagne flute with honey and then roll it in shredded coconut (optional). Add the rum and grapefruit juice to the Champagne flute, then top it off with fizzy coconut water.

Wine and Champagne

Champagne Problems

Ingredients:

  • 1 oz Kish SHINE Kumquat Rose & Ginger Apéritif
  • 2-3 oz Champagne or Sparkling Wine of choice
  • 0.5 oz Canton Ginger
  • 0.5 oz Italicus

Directions: Add all of your ingredients to a shaker, add ice and shake for 5 seconds.  Strain into a chilled coupe or sparkling glass and garnish with dried flowers.

 

Lambrusco Punch (Perfect for Galentine’s Party)

Ingredients (Serves 12):

  • 25 fl oz Riunite Lambrusco, chilled
  • 25 fl oz pomegranate juice
  • 8.5 fl oz triple sec
  • 25 fl oz vodka
  • 1 whole orange
  • 2 cups pomegranate seeds
  • 1 cup granulated sugar

Prepare the Garnish:
Slice the orange into thin rounds, then quarters.
Place orange quarters and pomegranate seeds evenly in a large ice-cube tray.
Fill with water and freeze for 3–4 hours. Makes ~12 cubes.

Directions: Make simple syrup: combine sugar and 1 cup water in a saucepan over medium heat until dissolved. Let cool. Store in the fridge for up to 1 month. In a large bowl, mix pomegranate juice, triple sec, vodka, and ¼ cup simple syrup. Chill at least 1 hour.  In a punch bowl, add the ice cubes with pomegranate seeds and orange, pour in the chilled mixture, and top with Riunite Lambrusco. Stir gently and serve.

 

Josh Cellars Rose Spritz

Ingredients:

  • 2 oz Rose Vermouth
  • 4 oz Josh Prosecco
  • Orange twist for garnish

Instructions:  In a tall wine glass, pour the Rose Vermouth over ice.  Top with Josh Prosecco and give a very brief stir to lightly incorporate the ingredients.  Garnish with an orange twist.

 

Love Triangle
Ingredients:
Method:  Chill your champagne flutes in a freezer for 15 minutes before serving the cocktail.  Purée strawberries in a food processor until smooth.  Squeeze one lime and pour it over the purée, mix well.  Fill ¼ of a champagne flute with the purée and pour a little Luc Belaire Rosé over. Stir, then top with Belaire Rosé

 

Oddbird

Valentine’s Day, or Galentine’s Day for many others, usually comes with a repertoire: candles, reservations, and a bottle of wine. This year, the most interesting bottle on the table might be the one without alcohol.

Meet Oddbird, the Swedish-born, Michelin-star-poured dealcoholized wine brand turning sober romance into something genuinely chic. Designed for couples or friends who want the ritual, flavor, and romance of wine minus the buzz, Oddbird is the embodiment of elevated, of-the-moment indulgence in a gift.

From celebratory standouts like Blanc de Blanc and Sparkling Orange to the GSM and Addiction, the grapes in each bottle are sourced from France and Italy, aged for up to three years, then gently dealcoholized to preserve structure, aroma, and depth – a process that’s earned Oddbird a place on Michelin-starred wine lists and in sommelier rotations.

Best Wine for a Spontaneous Valentine’s Date: Piper-Heidsieck Brut Rosé 

THE WINE: A blended rosé Champagne boasting elegant color and charming character.
TASTING NOTES: Vibrant and intensely fruity, with layers of blood orange, wild strawberries, black cherries, blackberry jam, rose petals, and fresh almond.
PAIRS WITH: Sirloin steak, red onion tatin, brown-butter smashed potatoes, veal jus.
SRP: $74.00
ABV: 12%
VARIETAL: 50% Pinot Noir, 25% Chardonnay, 25% Meunier, 15% Red Wine

Best Wine for a Splurge-Worthy Night In: Rare Millésime Rosé 2014

THE WINE: Only the fourth rosé vintage ever released by Rare Champagne—an expressive cuvée that reveals both unbridled energy and delicate, fragrant intensity.
TASTING NOTES: Coppery rose-gold color; red and dark fruits (strawberry, blackberry, blood orange); spice, musk, apricot; vibrant palate with pomegranate, Morello cherry, dried flowers, chocolate, pink peppercorn, and kirsch blossom.
PAIRS WITH: Vitello tonnato, Spanish charcuterie, beef tartare, game with cranberry sauce, cocoa-accented dishes, truffle-forward vegetable dishes, strawberry tart.
SRP: $500.00
ABV: 12%
VARIETAL: 60% Chardonnay, 40% Pinot Noir

Best Wine for Galentine’s Day: Rosa Regale Sparkling Red (Brachetto D’acqui DOCG)

THE WINE: Made from 100% Brachetto d’Acqui—aromatic, ancient, and deeply expressive.
TASTING NOTES: Romantic aromas of raspberries, strawberries, and rose petals; bright raspberry on the palate with crisp acidity and a clean, dry finish.
PAIRS WITH: Soft cheeses, spicy fare, chocolate; serve chilled.
SRP: $19.99 (750ml) · $5.99 (187ml)
ABV: 7%

Best Wine for a Home-Cooked Valentine’s Dinner:Avaline Cabernet Sauvignon

THE WINE: A full-bodied, vegan-friendly Cabernet made with 100% organic grapes and zero sugar.
TASTING NOTES: Notes of ripe cherry, juicy plum, and a touch of cocoa.
PAIRS WITH: Cozy, comforting meals—pasta, roasted vegetables, braised meats—and a table full of friends.
SRP: $30.00
ABV: 12.8%

Best Wine for an Eco-Conscious Couple: Champagne Telmont Réserve Brut

THE WINE: Réserve Rosé is an exquisite blend of grapes, stemming from four different harvests. It showcases its strong personality through a symphony of fruits and a full-bodied, elegant presence. Singular in its expression of terroir, a revelation of the variety that nature offers from one year to the next, Réserve Rosé evokes romance and harmony.

TASTING NOTES: Flavors of blood orange mingle with delicately creamy notes. An ethereal and crisp finish makes for a harmonious wine from start to finish.

PAIRS WITH: Oysters, pink-centered steak, shared charcuterie boards, and chocolate-kissed desserts.

SRP: $86.00
ABV: 12%

Aperitifs

Julietta & Romeo

Ingredients:

  • 1 oz ITALICUS ROSOLIO DI BERGAMOTTO
  • 0.5 oz Savoia Americano
  • 1.5 oz Prosecco Top-Up 

Instructions: Pour the Savoia and Italicus into a tumbler or highball glass. Top with prosecco.  Garnish with gold dust and rose petals.

 

NEGRONI AT SAVOIA

Ingredients:

  • 1.75 oz SAVOIA Rosso
  • 0.85 oz Mezcal
  • 3 flakes Bitter Cocoa
  • Garnish: Red Chili

Instructions: Mix ingredients in a glass with ice. Garnish with a red chili.

 

 

Related posts

Inside the SI The Party Presented by DraftKings

Taste of the NFL Scoops Up GENYOUth Support

Touchdown! Thom Browne Debuts his Fall 2026 Collection at GQ Bowl