Is there anything that could say “I love you” or “Be Mine” more than Bacon and Bourbon?

That is what we thought too here at BourbonBlog.com, especially after Basil Hayden’s Bourbon and Mixologist Patricia Richards from Las Vegas shared this one with us. Here is the “Basil Hayden’s Bacon Sour”…

BACON SOUR INGREDIENTS:
1 1/4 parts 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 ratio of Vermont Grade A Medium Amber Syrup to water)
1 dash Peychaud’s® Bitters
1/4 part Pasteurized Egg White

PREPARATION:
* Combine bourbon, bacon-infused St-Germain, lemon juice, diluted maple syrup, bitters and
egg white into a mixing glass and shake vigorously with ice.
* Strain over fresh ice into a double-old fashioned glass.
* Garnish with an orange slice and a piece of the St-Germain infused Applewood smoked bacon.

BACON-INFUSED ST-GERMAIN:
Ingredients:
* 9 Thick Slices of Applewood Smoked Bacon
* Two 750 ml bottle of St-Germain Liqueur

Preparation:
* Cook bacon in the oven until it is crispy on the outsides but still chewy in the center.
* Place bacon on paper towel to remove some of the rendering.
* 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.
* Remove bacon.
* Place liqueur in the freezer so renderings congeal and you can remove them.
* Strain through a fine mesh strainer and cheese cloth to remove as much rendering as possible.
* Repeat freezer step if needed and strain again.
* Refrigerate until ready for use.

Photo credit: “Bacon Love” by Mike Geno.

Mark Drew, master mixologist and brand ambassador for Tequila Herradura tells BourbonBlog.com that he has created this sexy handcrafted cocktail for Valentine’s Day…which means the “Ultimate Kiss”

The Herradura Ultimate Beso combines the sweet taste of raspberries and the unique agave flavor of Herradura, making it the perfect love potion.

Herradura Ultimate Beso

Herradura Silver tequila shaken with chilled raspberry tea, pineapple juice and freshly squeezed lemon juice, served in chilled cocktail glass and garnished with a rose petal.

Ingredients:
2 oz. Herradura Silver Tequila
½ oz. Lemon juice
½ oz. Simple Syrup
¾ oz. Pineapple Juice
1 ¼ Raspberry tea (chilled)
1 Rose petal (for garnish)

Instructions:

1. Prepare the raspberry tea with boiling water then leave to cool. Once cool, place in fridge until chilled
2. Add all liquid ingredients to a boston shaker and fill with ice. Shake until cold and the pineapple juice has created foam
3. Strain into a chilled coupe/martini glass
4. Garnish with a rose petal

With this amorous season in mind, Claire Smith, head of mixology and spirits for Belvedere Vodka, tells BourbonBlog.com she has concocted a few vodka cocktails for you to toast with on Valentine’s Day!

Sealed with A Kiss

Pucker up! Strawberries have been long-lauded for their seductive properties. Here’s a great cocktail for couples that’s sure to inspire a meeting of the lips.

40ml/ 1.5 oz Belvedere Vodka
4 fresh strawberries
1 Shiso leaf
15ml/ ½ oz Koshinokaghiroi Sake

Muddle strawberries with a dash of simple syrup. Add rest of ingredients and shake with cubed ice. Double strain into a coupe glass and garnish with a strawberry slither and Shiso leaf.

Cupid’s Arrow

Those who are looking for love might use this cocktail to put their hearts in the winged cherub’s sights. You can’t go wrong with raspberries.

50ml/2oz Belvedere Vodka
15ml/1/4oz simple syrup
20ml /1/2 oz Lemon juice
6 fresh raspberries or 20ml/1/2oz raspberry puree
Dash egg white

Shake vigorously and strain into a chilled martini glass top with a splash of soda and garnish with a raspberry

Intense Love

This one is for the intense lovers, made with an intense Vodka.

2 oz Belvedere Intense Unfiltered 80
1oz Fresh Lemon Juice
1/2 oz Simple Syrup
1/3 oz Egg White
Dash Angustura Bitters