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Mixology 101: Five Must-Try Valentine’s Day Cocktails

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at UVA chapter.

Whether you’re in a relationship or rocking it single for Valentine’s Day, don’t miss out on an excuse to party! Check out these seven delicious cocktail delights to make your Valentine’s Day perfectly (un)forgettable.

1. The Amour a Mosa

Start your Valentine’s Day right with the Amour a Mosa cocktail. This perfect brunch drink will guarentee a day filled with special drinks and treats.

What You’ll Need: (Serves 6-8)

  • 1 chilled bottle of Champagne
  • 45 ml vodka, infused with orange
  • 30 ml chilled mango juice
  • 30 ml chilled orange juice

How to make it:

  1. Pour a small amount vodka and juice into a chilled champagne glass
  2. Fill the rest of the glass with Champagne & enjoy!

2. The White Russian

For all Starbucks lovers, the White Russian tastes like a vanilla mocha. It is a warm, hearty drink, and you are sure to fall in love with it. This drink is sugar, spice, and everything nice. If you do not have heavy cream on hand, whole milk works as a great substitute.

What You’ll Need: (Serves 1)

  • 2 oz. vodka
  • 1 oz. coffee-flavored liqueur or Kahlua
  • 1 oz. heavy cream
  • 1 cup ice
  • A pinch of cinnamon

How to make it:

  1. Combine vodka, coffee liqueur, and ice in a cocktail shaker
  2. Shake
  3. Pour into a glass
  4. Pour in cream
  5. Garnish with cinnamon & enjoy!

3. The Dirty Shirley

For a lighter drink with a twist, try the Dirty Shirley! It is sweet, yummy, and not overbearing.

What You’ll Need: (Serves 1)

  • 1.5 oz. vodka
  • 0.75 oz. grenadine
  • 5 oz. lemon-lime soda
  • 1 cup ice
  • 1 cherry

How to make it:

  1. Pour vodka over ice in highball glass
  2. Fill glass with lemon-lime soda
  3. Add grenadine
  4. Garnish with cherry & enjoy!

4. The Strawberry Mojito

Similar to the Dirty Shirley, the Strawberry Mojito is also a lighter drink. This fruity drink is a delicious twist to your average “vodka cranberry.”

What You’ll Need: (Serves 1)

  • 1 oz. simple syrup
  • 1 oz. fresh lime juice
  • 2 oz. light rum
  • 3 fresh strawberries
  • 3-4 oz. soda water
  • 4-5 chopped fresh spearmint sprigs
  • 2 slices of lime

How to make it:

  1. Crush the simple syrup, strawberries, and mint leaves together in a chilled highball glass with the back of a spoon.
  2. Stir in lime juice and rum
  3. Fill glass with ice
  4. Top off with soda water
  5. Stir
  6. Garnish with mint sprigs, strawberries, or lime & enjoy!

5. The Sex on the Beach

A classic drink, the sex on the beach, is the perfect sugary and sweet delight to top-off any night out.

What You’ll Need: (Serves 6-8)

  • 1.5 oz. vodka
  • 0.5 oz. peach schnapps
  • 1.5 orange juice
  • 1.5 cranberry juice
  • 1 cup of ice
  • 1 orange slice

How to make it:

  1. Combine vodka, orange juice, cranberry juice, peach schnapps and ice in a cocktail shaker
  2. Shake
  3. Pour into glass
  4. Garnish with an orange slice & enjoy!
Editor-In-Chief of Her Campus UVA. Third Year at the University of Virginia. Economics Major.
Student-athlete at the University of Virginia, that loves journalism!