“Show her that you know a lot about wines”

You may not be a secret spy or even a potential RCMP officer, but let’s be honest: women don’t actually want to date a spy. They just like the idea of dating the kind of suave, sophisticated guy who could be a spy. You don’t really have to topple third-world dictatorships, you just have to order drinks and play baccarat. Baccarat’s an article for another day, so let’s talk about the drinks you order when you’re out with a lady.

The way you order drinks at a bar should vary depending on whether you brought your lady with you or you’re buying drinks for someone new. If you’re looking to impress by buying ‘another round of what she’s drinking’ and you’re out of earshot, consider getting the same thing (as long as it’s not a cosmo). If she’s drinking a gin and tonic or a rum and coke, you want her to know you appreciate her taste and share it. Always make sure you order her a refill of what she already has. Very few women will be impressed that you know their tastes better than they do, especially before you’ve said hello. So don’t look pushy.

“Do not force your taste of drinks on her”

First of all, never order anything you haven’t had before. You don’t want to look like you’re a kid having his first grown up drink, do you? If you’re thinking about trying something new, do it on your own or with your friends. The only exception is a bar with a unique signature drink – and if that’s your choice, make sure you order it with confidence. It’ll show her you have a sense of adventure and you know how to hold your alcohol.

Don’t order anything ‘shaken, not stirred’ no matter how much you actually want to be James Bond. You’ll sound like a kid trying to play dress up. Instead, stick to something classic like a martini or a vodka on the rocks. If you want whiskey, order it neat so you sound like you know why you’re ordering it.

Trying to keep your alcohol intake low without looking uncultured? You can order beer, but make sure it’s a craft beer. Budweiser’s just going to make her think you’re the kind of guy who sits home watching hockey, and it’s too early in the evening for her to think that.

If you’re out at a restaurant and ordering a meal, make sure you’re ordering the wine like an expert. Don’t just defer to the sommelier – if the restaurant even has one. There are a couple of basic tricks to ordering wine, like always ordering the bottle and defaulting to a red wine, but you can’t go wrong by calling ahead and asking the sommelier what he’d recommend for the meal you plan to order. It saves him time and lets you look like you know what you’re doing.

The key, no matter what you’re ordering, is to be confident in your choices. If you act like you’re drinking the perfect drink, she’ll wonder what she doesn’t know.