This post contains affiliate links. See my disclosure policy here.
Cocktail History
The Austral Summer is a modern cocktail that was created by Eryn Reece at Banzarbar in New York City, New York. It’s meant to be a tiki-inspired blend of the classic Champs Elysees and Cameron’s Kick cocktails that mixes the brandy, Green Chartreuse, lemon, and aromatic bitters of the former with whiskey from the latter. It then adds in some airy coconut liqueur and wraps the glass in a banana leaf for more tropical flair. This version also drops in a dash of cinnamon syrup for more balance and complexity.
Cocktail Ingredients
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:
Cognac: This is a type of brandy made in Cognac, France with distilled white wine. I used Courvoisier VSOP Cognac.
Lemon Juice: This is the liquid juice of a lemon. I used freshly squeezed lemon juice.
Irish Whiskey: This is a type of whiskey made in Ireland made with unmalted or malted barley, cereal grains, spices, and water. I used Hatch Distilling Company Straight Bourbon Whiskey.
Coconut Liqueur: This is a liqueur made with coconut flakes, sugar, milk, and alcohol. I used Dorda Coconut Liqueur.
Green Chartreuse: This is a liqueur made in France with over a hundred herbs and plants, spices, sugar, and alcohol.
Cinnamon Syrup: This is a sweetener made with cinnamon sticks, white sugar, gum arabic powder, saline solution, and water. I made mine using this sous vide recipe.
Aromatic Bitters: This is a food product made with botanicals, herbs, and alcohol. I used Angostura Aromatic Bitters.
Banana Leaf: This is a leaf from a banana tree.
Bartending Tools
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:
Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. I used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Boston Shaker: This is used to shake ingredients. I used the Boston shaker from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Hawthorne Strainer: This is used to strain out ice and solid ingredients after the cocktail is shaken. I used the A Bar Above Hawthorne Strainer.
Paring Knife: This is used to cut ingredients. I used the OXO Good Grips 3.5 Inch Paring Knife.
Juicer: This is used to juice citrus. I used the ALEEHAI Manual Fruit Juicer.
This post contains affiliate links, meaning we make a small commission each time you purchase a product using our links. Product images sourced from Amazon Product Advertising API. Amazon affiliate links last updated on 2025-02-14.

Tasting Notes
This cocktail has the following flavor profile:
• Appearance: Golden yellow color
• Aroma: Faint garden-inspired notes
• Taste: Noticeable whiskey malt at first followed by coconut, citrus, and cinnamon
• Finish: Cozy herbal accents
Kendall’s Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
Kendall’s Take: “I really wanted to like the Austral Summer because on paper it sounds so good, but there just isn’t enough sweetness in the original. I made a second version with sone cinnamon syrup, and it was a lot more palatable. The first one just tasted like whiskey mixed with coconut, in my opinion, and that made it a touch too bitter for me. All that aside, I did really love the look of the banana leaf and hope I get to utilize those as a garnish more often in the future. It added a nice leafy aroma and makes for quite the looker of a cocktail.”
Recipe
This cocktail recipe was adapted from Easy Tiki: A Modern Revival with 60 Recipes by Chloe Frechette.
This post contains affiliate links, meaning we make a small commission each time you purchase a product using our links. Product images sourced from Amazon Product Advertising API. Amazon affiliate links last updated on 2025-02-14.
Austral Summer
The Austral Summer is a modern cocktail that was created by Eryn Reece at Banzarbar in New York City, New York. It’s meant to be a tiki-inspired blend of the classic Champs Elysees and Cameron’s Kick cocktails that mixes the brandy, Green Chartreuse, lemon, and aromatic bitters of the former with whiskey from the latter. It then adds in some airy coconut liqueur and wraps the glass in a banana leaf for more tropical flair. Our version also drops in a dash of cinnamon syrup for more balance and complexity.

Ingredients
Method
-
Arrange banana leaf around the inside of a highball glass.
-
Fill highball glass with cracked ice.
-
Add brandy, lemon juice, whiskey, coconut liqueur, Green Chartreuse, bitters, and cubed ice to a shaker.
-
Shake for 10-20 seconds.
-
Strain into highball glass.