To celebrate a memorable Valentine’s Day it’s important that all elements are in place. Plan to start the evening with some tasty cocktails. These recipes from Basil Hayden’s Bourbon, Cruzan Rum, Knob Creek Bourbon, and Laphroaig Scotch may just be what you need.
Whether you’re celebrating with your special someone or toasting Valentine’s Day with friends, you can’t go wrong.

Cruzan Kiss Kiss

Ingredients:
2 parts Cruzan Single Barrel Rum
1 part DeKuyper Triple Sec
1 splash Lemon Juice

Method:
Combine ingredients and shake with ice in a mixing glass until chilled. Stir in and pour over ice into a sugar-rimmed cocktail glass.

Laphroaig Perfect Gentleman

Ingredients:
1 1⁄2 parts Laphroaig 10-Year-Old Scotch Whisky
3⁄4 part DeKuyper Crème de Cacao Dark
1 1⁄2 parts Heavy Cream
2-3 dashes Orange Bitters

Method:
Shake vigorously with ice and strain into a chilled stemless cocktail glass. Garnish with fresh shaved chocolate.

Basil Hayden’s Bacon Sour

Ingredients:
1 1/3 part Basil Hayden’s Bourbon
1 part St-Germain Liqueur Infused with Applewood Smoked Bacon (recipe included below)
1 part Freshly Squeezed and Strained Lemon Juice
1/2 part Diluted Maple Syrup (1:1 ration of Vermont Grade A Medium Amber Syrup to water)
1 dash Peychaud’s Bitters
1/4 part Pasteurized Egg White

Preparation:
1. Combine Basil Hayden’s Bourbon, bacon-infused St-Germain®, lemon juice, diluted maple syrup, bitters and egg white into a mixing glass and shake vigorously with ice.
2. Stain over fresh ice into a double old-fashioned glass.
3. Garnish with an orange slice and a piece of St-Germain® infused Applewood smoked bacon.

Bacon Infused St-Germain
Ingredients
9 Thick Slices of Applewood Smoked Bacon
2 750 ml bottles of St-Germain Liqueur

Preparation:
1. Cook bacon in the oven until it is crispy on the outsides but still chewy in the center.
2. Place bacon on paper towel to remove some of the rendering.
3. Place cooked bacon in a glass jar with two 750 ml bottles of St-Germain and allow it to infuse for 24 hours at room temperature.
4. Remove bacon.
5. Place liqueur in the freezer so renderings congeal and you can remove them.
6. Strain through a fine mesh strainer and cheese cloth to remove as much rendering as possible.
repeat freezer step if needed and strain again.
7. Refrigerate until ready for use.

Knob Creek Ginger Twist
Created by Celebrity Chef Michael Symon

Ingredients:
1 ½ Parts Knob Creek Rye Whiskey
¾ Part Fresh Lemon Juice
¾ Part JDK & SonsTM Fleur Handcrafted Elderflower Liqueur
Ginger Beer
Angostura Bitters

Preparation:
1. Add Knob Creek Rye, fresh lemon juice and elderflower liqueur into a cocktail shaker with ice.
2. Shake ingredients and strain into Collins glass filled with ice.
3. Top with ginger beer and garnish with an Angostura Bitters Floater.