8 of the Best Valentine's Day Cocktails

Valentine's Day is known as a commercial holiday full of cards, chocolates and flowers. Nowadays, we can all celebrate with a reason, even on a Monday. When it comes to gifts, besides all the usual suspects, you can celebrate the special day with some unique Valentine's Day-themed drinks. Add "red" to just about anything and you can call it a Valentine's Day cocktail. However, you can take things to the next level by trying some simple or sophisticated cocktails. Read on to find out the best Valentine's Day cocktails.

1.Aperol Spritz

Valentine's Day is all about celebration, so you gotta have at least one fizzy cocktail with sparkling wine. Forget straight champagne, and we will travel to Italy with the popular Aperol Spritz. Nothing is more refreshing than the combination of Prosecco, Aperol, sparkling water and a fruit garnish. This effervescent drink is traditionally reserved for summer, but Italians drink it as an aperitif all year round. So enjoy yours for the next Valentine's Day.

2.Negroni

The Negroni is possibly the most famous Italian cocktail, and it's one of the easiest drinks to prepare. Combine equal amount of gin, campari and sweet vermouth to create a refreshingly bitter and herbal cocktail that is bright both in color and flavor.

3.Bourvadiere

We may have said it wasn't necessarily about the drink being red due to the inclusion of Campari. But we'll make an exception for Negroni's cousin Boulvardier. It's actually a Negroni with bourbon rather than gin, but the whiskey substitute can tone down the herbal notes, making it more subtle.

4.Sparkling Cranberry Sangria

For obvious reasons, wine is the drink of choice on Valentine's Day. But we love adding Spanish flavors by making sangria. This special version brings together all the traditional sangria flavors from wine and fruit, adding cinnamon sticks, more cranberries, brandy and soda to create a more mellow, sparkling and sophisticated drinks.

5.Cosmopolitan

If there's an official cocktail for Valentine's Day, it's probably going to be the Cosmopolitan. Mix vodka, cranberry juice, triple sec, and fresh lime juice (don't use what's in the bottle) in this classic cocktail that combines sweet and tart. Don't get fooled by the bright colors or history, they're actually incredibly drunk.

6.Chocolate Martini

Speaking of Valentine's Day, there are two things that best represent the holiday, roses and chocolate. Chocolate martini is perfect as an evening drink for chocolate lovers who want something less red. You will like the rich, creamy version with vodka, Irish cream, simple syrup, cocoa butter, heavy cream, and cocoa powder. (Remember not to skip the grated chocolate garnish).

7.Clover Club Cocktail

To prepare this Clover Club cocktail from New York, you can take an herbal, bitter and unique spirit like gin, then add raspberry syrup and fresh lemon juice to set the base. To take this cocktail to the next level, try adding dry vermouth and an egg white. The drink elevates from simply savory enough to have a restaurant named after it.

8.Kir Royale

The French are known to transform some very simple ingredients into a drink that is way better than the sum of its parts. Take Kir Royale for example, a sweet, deep red liqueur made from black currant, champagne and layered berries are added to form a champagne flute. What you have is a perfectly balanced and sweet drink that's bright, bubbly and romantic.