Survey results released this week from Southern Comfort showed some interesting data about what millennials want in a Valentine’s Day date.

The overwhelming result? THEY’VE GOT TO KNOW THEIR WAY AROUND A DRINK!

This survey polled 1,001 male and female Respondents between the ages of 21 and 34 who are not married and drink alcohol at least once a month. They did NOT have to be SoCo customers to take part in this survey.

A whopping 93% of respondents said they are impressed by people who know how to make a good cocktail. 

An overwhelming 70% said they would date a mixologist or bartender. 

Nearly 10% of survey respondents said they were intimidated by whiskey, with women being five times more intimidated than men. That means there’s clearly still work to be done in getting more ladies out there drinking the brown and boozy.

About 44% of those surveyed are planning to cook Valentine’s Day dinner at home, but wish they could mix drinks at home. Twenty-eight percent of millennials wish they knew how to make a classic Manhattan or Old Fashioned (if you’re one of them, see the old-fashioned recipe below).

There’s still a few days to bone up on your Booze, so in addition to Booze for Babes, here’s a few other books I’d recommend to help you get your home bar in order for Valentine’s Day mixin’ and shakin’:

12 Bottle Bar: By my friend Lesley Solmonson and her hubby, this book explains how you can affordably use just 12 bottles to make hundreds of cocktails.

The Savoy Cocktail Book: By the legendary London Savoy Hotel’s former barkeep, who is recognized as one of the world’s best Bartenders, this book is a go-to manual for bartenders and consumers alike. It includes hundreds of cocktails that continue to be mainstays in bars and the majority are easy to make at home.

The Art of Mixology: Gary Regan deciphers every tool and ingredient you could ever use in a bar. It is geared toward professional bartenders but was a healthy primer for me when I was getting started in booze.

Make a Classic Old-Fashioned

At the outset, an old-fashioned seems like it would be easy to make. But if you’ve had these a lot, you know that the key is in the ingredients, which aren’t always up to par at certain places. I like mine low on sugar and without sparkling water (I don’t know why some bartenders do it like that). Here’s how I do it:

1 1/2 ounces of an oaky bourbon, such as Eagle Rare

1/2 teaspoon refined sugar 

1 dash Angostura bitters 

2 high quality brandied cherries, such as Luxardo

orange slice 

Place the orange and cherries in a rocks glass with sugar and bitters. Muddle. Add one large ice cube and bourbon and stir.