Naked & Famous

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Cocktail History

The Naked & Famous is a modern cocktail that was created in 2011 by Joaquín Simó at Death & Company in New York City, New York. Described by Simó as “the bastard love child born out of an illicit Oaxacan love affair between a Last Word and a Paper Plane,” the recipe sticks with the equal-parts template used in the aforementioned drinks but calls for smoky mezcal as the base spirit and blends it with herbal Yellow Chartreuse, bitter Aperol, and tangy lime.

Cocktail Ingredients

To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:

Mezcal: This is a spirit made in Mexico with fermented agave and yeast, which are distilled after roasting agave hearts in underground pits to develop a smoky, complex flavor.

Yellow Chartreuse: This is a liqueur made in France with a blend of 130 plants, bark, roots, spices, and flowers, distilled alcohol, water, and sugar, which are macerated, blended, and then aged to develop a complex, herbal flavor.

Aperol: This is a liqueur made in Italy with a blend of bitter orange, rhubarb, herbs, and roots, distilled alcohol, water, and sugar, which are blended and infused to develop a bright, bittersweet flavor.

Lime Juice: This is the liquid extracted from the flesh of ripe limes that has a zesty, sour flavor and light green color.

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.

Tasting Notes

This cocktail has the following flavor profile:

• Appearance: Striking sunset orange color

• Aroma: Smoky mezcal and bright citrus with a subtle herbal undertone

• Taste: Bold and balanced mix of smoky, tart, and sweet flavors with the mezcal’s earthiness complemented by the tangy lime and slightly sweet, herbal complexity of the Chartreuse

• Finish: Delightful Aperol bitterness

Kendall’s Take
“When I first saw the Naked & Famous described as a mash-up of the Last Word and the Paper Plane, my curiosity was instantly piqued. The mezcal gives the drink its signature smoky backbone, but it’s balanced beautifully by the bright citrus and bold liqueurs in the mix. Everything works together in a way that feels layered and surprisingly smooth. I’d call it a clever modern cocktail that shows just how well bold flavors can play together.”

Recipe

This cocktail recipe was found in the book Steve The Bartender’s Cocktail Guide by Steve Roennfeldt.