Virginia Spirits is for lovers. There’s no better way to mark the special occasion of Valentine’s Day than toasting with a glass filled with locally produced, quality spirits.
From recognizing your partner’s fascination with the distilling process and supporting local to sampling and sipping all around the Commonwealth, here are three ways to incorporate Virginia spirits into your Valentine’s Day celebrations.
Love for the Craft
For the spirits’ enthusiast in your life, the dedicated time, careful attention and small-batch approach to Virginia spirits is something to admire. So much heart and soul is poured into crafting each bottle made in the Commonwealth.
Seek out and gift the good stuff – special reserves only available at the distillery, hand-signed bottles from the distiller who crafted it, new releases, etc. – to show your special person (who just so happens to be a spirits nerd) that you care and understand their love for the craft.
Love at First Sip
The best Valentine’s Day celebrations and romantic dinners involve smooth, dreamy libations. Whether you’re making a special dinner for the one you love, having your girlfriends over for a rom-com movie marathon or toasting to yourself, Virginia spirits have you covered.
Check out these sweet, sippable cocktails:
Even if food is the star of the show, handcrafted spirits will only enhance the evening. Here are some pairing suggestions for this day of love:
- Oysters + Gimlets (Gin)
- Charcuterie + Brandy
- Steak + Old Fashioned or Whiskey Sour
- Chocolate + Straight Sippers: While there are cocktails that incorporate and support the indulgence of chocolate, we recommend keeping it simple. Overall, bourbon – with smooth, caramel notes coming from new charred oak barrels – is ideal for a variety of chocolates. Other ideas include:
- Milk Chocolate + Rum
- Nutty Chocolate + Rye Whiskey
- White Chocolate + Gin
- Any Dessert + Espresso Martini (Vodka, Coffee Liqueur)
We promise, it’ll be love at first sip!
Love is an Adventure
If your significant other is one for adventures, Virginia spirits can offer just that. From special events to a winding trail of exploration, 70+ Virginia distilleries wait to host you this Valentine’s Day.
There are events all month long to shower your person with the love (and spirits) they deserve:
- Galentine’s Happy Hour at Beach Vodka (February 8)
- Year of the Girl Galentines Brunch at New Realm Brewing (February 11)
- The Art of the Cocktail Tasting & Recipe Demonstrations at Virago Spirits (February 13)
- Valentine’s Evening with Papi at MurLarkey (February 14)
- You’re My Lover: A Taylor Swift Inspired Drag Brunch at New Realm Brewing (February 18)
- Bourbon & Chocolate tasting at A. Smith Bowman (February 25)
Hoping for something more unique and intimate for the two of you? Use the itinerary feature to plan a day or weekend getaway to a region of your choosing. We even have a comprehensive guide on trips to the Virginia Mountains, Shenandoah Valley, Southwest Virginia and Southern Virginia regions.
And… earn points for visiting! The Virginia Spirits Passport is a mobile pass that allows you to redeem those points for prizes like cocktail ingredients, swag and special sweepstakes. On Valentine’s Day (2/14), we’re offering double the points – which means double the opportunity for prizes.
For all the romantic vibes this holiday, we can’t get enough of these tasting rooms:
- Virago Spirits (Richmond, Central Virginia)
- Sandy River Distillery (Rice, Central Virginia)
- Ironclad Distillery (Newport News, Coastal Virginia)
- Tarnished Truth Distilling Co. (Virginia Beach, Coastal Virginia)
- Cape Charles Distillery (Cape Charles, Coastal Virginia)
- Springfield Distillery (Halifax, Southern Virginia)
- Appalachian Heritage Distillery (Damascus, Southwest Virginia)
At the end of the day, love is an adventure – and traversing through one of Virginia’s seven distinct distilling regions is a memorable expression of that love.
If you can’t make it out to a distillery, shop Virginia spirits at a Virginia ABC store near you. Sip responsibly.