You can sip yourself horny with this surprising drink that ‘increases libido’

All the hoo-ha around Valentine’s Day makes me want to crawl under the duvet til Feb 15 rolls around. Anyone else?. Not to sound like ‘the angry man who yells at clouds’ or anything, but the whole Valentine’s Day thing is incessant, and a bit (a lot) of a money-grab. We’ve got Mother’s Day to look forward to next…. I get it, hating on Valentine’s Day isn’t original, in fact it’s boomerish behaviour (which I’m not) and less of a cliché to be a fan.

That said, I’ll be making my own protest by swapping flowers and ‘I love you’ teddy bears for an evening of sipping drinks that supposedly lift your libido, in the safe environment of my home. Take that, corporate day of forced love. If, like me, you’re looking to avoid going out and stepping on the roadkill strewn over the motorway of love, here are some dos and don’ts of what to drink at home on February 14, and some of the tipples might just get you in the mood….

Professional bartenders don’t. Even though they’ve likely used every expensive spirit in the book, you’ll often hear a mixologist’s go-to is the likes of Beefeater, Captain Morgan, Tia Maria Tanqueray and Havana Club. Sure, mainstream brands can come off as generic, but you don’t want a single spirit to take center stage in a cocktail. Whack in a measure of rare, aged spirit if you have one, which is kind of like wearing high street clothes with a designer jacket. Boujee, but not essential.

Great, my favourite drink turns me into a depressive confirmed bachelor. We all know that gin can be a depressant, but tonic water making us say goodbye to our sex drive is something else. A team at the University of Lagos in Nigeria made the discovery, in rats, so maybe we’re in the clear. On the plus side, they also found that citrus vitamin C seems to reverse it, so chuck in a slice of lemon and lime to get your mojo back.

Aside from being a colour we associate with love and kindness, pink drinks could increase your athletic stamina. The survey was about pink energy drinks, but why shouldn’t this cross over into rosé or pink cocktails?. Apparently, a low-calorie pink energy drink with no carbs improved runners’ average speed by 4.4% and they ran 212 metres further than those sipping the clear version. We’re giving mixed messages here, I know. Gin may be a depressant, but it has a high aphrodisiacal potential, being a neutral spirit infused with botanicals. Juniper, gin’s main botanical is thought to be an aphrodisiac, known to clean the urinary tract and enhance sexual desire in men.

Find a gin that contains saffron, with a compound called crocin, there’s a reason why old Hindi films have newlyweds adding saffron to their milk on the first night. You’ve hit the jackpot if your gin also contains nutmeg, as research shows that it has a similar effect to Viagra. Fun fact: tequila contains a compound called agavina, which makes you horny. It’s from the agave plant, from which tequila is made, which has properties that could potentially increase libido. Also, tequila shots are typically served with lemon/lime and salt, a combination which in itself increases blood flow.

Mastic gum has been a powerful aphrodisiac since the time of the Ottoman Empire, it contains zinc to enhance prostate function which increases libido in men. People take it as a supplement. Axia Spirit is distilled from the resin of the twisted evergreen Masthiha tree found on the Greek island of Chios. The sap is milked from the tree and left to dry in the wind, the crystals are harvested and blended with alcohol. Try as a long drink with tonic and a sprig of rosemary garnish.

If you count yourself a purveyor of the finer things in life, Metro’s Drinks Column is where you need to be. Immerse yourself in the world of good drink, fronted by industry expert Rob Buckhaven – a place for readers to whet their whistle with the latest and greatest in the world of drinks. From unpacking the best supermarket wines from Aldi, Tesco and Lidl, to introducing audiences to the wallet-friendly Cremant out-bubbling the fanciest of French Champagnes (or the best wines to drink after sex), this is a haven for those who love to celebrate.

Stay ahead of the curve as Rob plucks from the vines the wines of the season and the spirits you need to know about; speaking with experts and mixologists while unpacking the latest concoctions, finding the best non-alcoholic options for those looking to moderate, discovering the best food pairings for your drops, and going up against the latest TikTok chatter to demystify the liquid landscape. Can you really make cheap vodka taste expensive by putting it through a Brita filter?.

What’s the best wine to drink after sex. And, truly, how should​ we be storing our wine?. Read More. Do you have a story to share?. Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@Metro.co.uk. Arrow MORE: The best Valentine’s Day supermarket meal deal is ‘simply divine’ (and costs £11.97). Arrow MORE: Spice up your Valentine’s Day with these top Lovehoney picks – including £119 app-controlled vibrator.