While we all know about Valentine’s Day on the 14th of February each year, did you know that we, the Welsh, also have St Dwynwen’s Day? It is the Welsh equivalent and happens earlier on the 25th of January, so for both days, why not spoil your partner by learning how to make them a classic or sophisticated Welsh cocktail? Here are 5 cocktails we highly recommend you make for your significant other on either day made for love.
Get in the mood with these 5 Welsh Valentine’s Cocktails.
This list includes gin classics that are adored by gin lovers all around the world, so they are an absolute must-try. Here are our favourite cocktails made with Spirit of Wales, Steeltown Welsh Dry Gin.
Steeltown is inspired by the landscapes and people of Wales. Being in Newport, we are surrounded by a history of steel, coal, mining, fishing, and farming, the inspiration for Steeltown. Join us as we celebrate the Welsh with our contemporary Welsh gins.
Cocktail 1: Spoil them with a Valentine’s Pink Bramble
This cocktail, besides tasting great, has bright colours and an eclectic mix of 5 ingredients, including our recipe for a sugar syrup which you can find here. Once made, you can enjoy a tarty bittersweet cocktail.
At the start, take 40ml of Steeltown Blueberry Welsh Gin and shake it together with the 20ml lemon juice, and 20ml of sugar syrup. Pour your mixture over crushed ice and drizzle 10ml of crème de mure through the drink. Finally, garnish with a lemon zest or some fresh seasonal berries.
A bramble typically uses blackberries, while, not grown traditionally in the winter months, many growers of blackberries take measures to keep the berries alive during winter. Or substitute with another berry available at the moment and let us know how it turns out.
If you want to learn how to make it you can find the full Bramble recipe here.
Cocktail 2: A Valentine’s Day Gin Cocktail for the Tea Lovers
Are you a tea lover? If so, then try this dry gin-infused tea that if you have the ingredients, can easily make our Earl Grey Infused gin cocktail at home, it takes some patience as you need for the tea leaves and gin steeping in a jar for around 3 hours. But you have the first sip, you will understand why it is worth the wait.
First Combine 100ml of the Spirit of Wales Steeltown Forged Welsh Dry Gin in a clean glass jar, with 3 tablespoons of loose whole leaf Earl Grey Tea. Then cover the mixture as is with a lid and let it steep for 3 hours. When ready, strain the tea and discard the solids. Finally, pour your Earl Grey-infused Welsh Gin over some ice, and garnish. Get the recipe for our infused gin cocktail here.
Did you know? Our Steeltown Welsh Dry Gin won two silver awards in 2021, shortly after we opened. It proudly displays these medals from the International Wine and Spirits Competition and the Gin Masters hosted by the Spirits Business.
Cocktail 3: The Negroni, made with Love and a Cwtch
This bright red Welsh and Italian combo take a few ingredients to make, such as 3 beverages and a zest strip from an orange, making this cocktail takes is quick and easy, and once done you can enjoy a mix of Welsh and Italian cultures in a glass.
First things first, pour your 25ml Steeltown Welsh Dry Gin, 25ml vermouth, and 25ml Campari into your favourite rocks glass over ice. Follow that by stirring it down to your preference, allowing the ice to melt slightly. Finish up by taking garnishing with an orange zest spiral which adds essential oils to your negroni. Remove any of the pith (the white part), to prevent you from introducing its notes into the drink. Squeeze the zest the slide over the glass with the white of releasing oils in with the drink. Optionally, run the peel across the brim of the glass and then add the peel to the potion.
Cocktail 4: Hit the spot with our Valentine’s Day Citrus Gin Zing
If you want a citrus beverage to enjoy at your leisure while you spend quality time with your better half, then this cocktail is perfect for you.
Begin making this refreshing cocktail by placing thinly sliced grapefruit into a glass, followed by some small ice cubes. Then add the star of the show, 75ml Steeltown Welsh Dry Gin, and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice. Finish off by topping it up with a Fever-Tree Lemonade. So lush!
This lovely cocktail is easy to make, quick to fall in love with, and even if you were taking your time you can get it done in 30 seconds. Let us know how long it takes you! Click here for the recipe and give your Valentine a citrus zing cocktail, made with love!
Cocktail 5: Get back together or get closure over a Stirred Martini!
Relationships are a bit like a martini, a mix of great things, but get the mix wrong and it could leave you broken-hearted. If you are thinking about contacting your Welsh love for St Dwynwen’s Day, we recommend approaching it smoothly, James Bond Style and over a Welsh Martini.
To make this classic, pour 60ml Spirit of Wales Dry gin into a beaker, then a dash of vermouth to your taste preferences. Keep in mind about a martini is what ratio of gin and Vermouth is in the cocktail, which is up to you, you can do a taste test by using straws till you get the taste you like.
Add ice to the top and begin stirring with preferably a bar spoon for about 8 to 15 seconds, then strain into a chilled martini glass. For garnish, you can use olives, a lemon peel, or something a bit more out there like pickled onion, use the garnish of your choice, and enjoy.
Could this list of cocktails be complete without a Gin Martini? This classy classic is best cold with fresh ingredients. That means your vermouth should be fresh and cold as well as the glass being frozen before pouring.
Looking for more cocktails? We have 14 gin cocktails for you to try or explore new flavours with our rum and vodka cocktails. Click to get more cocktail recipes from the Spirit of Wales Distillery.
A tipsy Valentine’s conclusion.
These are some solid recommendations for you to celebrate St Dwynwen’s and Valentine’s day. Have a go making these fantastic cocktails for yourself or impress your loved one with your bar skills. Be proud of the drinks you make, it’s more about making something for someone you care about and spending quality time together.
Gin is a flexible spirit to mix while also having complex flavours itself, and a great way to learn to make some classic and specialty cocktails this Valentine’s Day. All the drinks on this list are perfectly measured using our award-winning spirit pairs fantastically with each ingredient. You can buy our range of Welsh gins on our website and enjoy it with your special someone in one of these fine cocktails, or make the perfect Welsh gin and tonic. Find out more about our Steeltown Welsh gins here.
Follow us on Facebook for more cocktails and special offers. We look forward to meeting you soon at our distillery in South Wales.