Long-Stem Rose Valentine's Day Cocktail Recipe

If you love all things romance, flowers, and pink, we've got the perfect Valentine's Day drink for you. Both sultry and sweet, this rose-scented cocktail is blush pink and sits pretty alongside your gorgeous countertop bouquet. This drink isn't just gorgeous in looks, either; it also tastes pretty, like a flowery, sweet, delicate sparkling soda. The long-stem rose is a gin-and-tonic-meets-kir-royale developed by Michelle McGlinn, using just a few common household bar ingredients.

The secret to this pretty riff is the rose water, which delicately scents the drink with floral aroma (and taste, if you love rose). Because this cocktail is easily built in-glass, it's written for making one at a time, but can be duplicated again to share with your special someone over charcuterie or after-dinner dessert. To pronounce the effect of the long-stem rose, find a glass with a long, thin stem — we love a tall glass coupe — and garnish with small flowers or a mint leaf. Read on below for our suggestions on the best gin to use and how to rinse the glass for a subtle rose aroma (because that's one way to impress a date, right?).

For this cocktail, you'll need rose water, raspberry liqueur, gin, and a sparkling topper of your choice, like tonic water. Rose water is most easily found in the mixers aisle of liquor stores, but can also be found in some grocery stores that sell specialty drink products. Don't leave the grocery section for this, as skincare products will have other ingredients not made for consumption. If you're really stumped, try searching online for edible rose water, or swap for elderflower liqueur. 

You can use any raspberry liqueur you like, but we love the famously sweet and decadent Chambord. The expensive black raspberry liqueur is sold as small as a few milliliters, just enough for 2 rose cocktails (though having a full-size bottle in your bar doesn't hurt).

Because there are so few ingredients, choose your gin wisely. We opted for juniper-forward Tanquerey to balance the sweet florals here, but you can lean in and use rose-forward Hendrick's for the ultimate flowery drink. Botanical London drys like Beefeater will bring out the sweet Chambord, while floral gins like The Botanist will bring out the rose water.

Top up the cocktail with tonic water or sparkling wine — tonic water is light and bubbly, so the flavors of raspberry and rose will be much more forward than in using sparkling wine. If you opt for Champagne, prosecco, brut, or cava (since you've probably bought a bottle for the occasion anyway) the cocktail will be much richer, with most of the flavor coming from the sparkling wine.

We know rose water isn't universally loved; you either love it or you hate it. If rose water tastes like dish soap to you, don't skip it, but try a rinse instead. For a rinse, add the half ounce of rose water to the glass (this is easiest in a round, billowy coupe, but any glass will work), then tilt the glass to bring the rose water to the rim. Swirl it around the perimeter of the glass, then dump out the excess. This will perfume the drink without leaving any real flavor behind so those who detest the taste can still get the full experience. After all, a good cocktail considers all the senses.

Swirl in the Chambord and gin, then top the drink with tonic water. Here's where you can customize a little bit: If the drink has too much gin flavor or just isn't pink enough, add another half ounce or so of Chambord. If you love rose water and wish the flavor came through a little more, just shake a few more drops in (a little goes a long way). The flavors in this cocktail are delicate, so don't be afraid to adjust as needed to make them shine through.

We might be jumping to conclusions here, but if you're someone who likes rose-flavored cocktails, you might be someone who loves a bouquet of flowers, too. For a special garnish, pull some of the filler flowers like baby's breath, eucalyptus, or feverfew daisies out of your bouquet (you only need a stem or two, don't worry) and place them gently onto the drink. The bubbles will keep them afloat long enough to serve them to your date with flair. Don't like putting flowers into your drink? Garnish with a fresh raspberry and sprig of mint instead. That way, you also get a pop of mint flavor.

Because this cocktail is bubbly and sweet, it's best served after dinner alongside decadent chocolate desserts. If you prefer bubbly as an aperitif, this cocktail pairs well alongside rich, soft cheese like brie and salty charcuterie.