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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 agave, sugar, and alcohol that is aged in an underground pit lined with wood. I used Del Maguey Vida Mezcal.
Yellow Chartreuse: This is a liqueur made in France with over a hundred herbs and plants, spices, sugar, alcohol, and water.
Aperol: This is an apéritif made in Italy with gentian root, rhubarb, cinchona, sugar, alcohol, and water.
Lime Juice: This is the liquid juice of a lime. I used freshly squeezed lime juice.
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.
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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 Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Kendall’s Take: “I liked both the Last Word and Paper Plane, so when this love child of the two popped up, I was intrigued, but I did raise an eyebrow at the recipe’s use of mezcal. The smoky agave spirit is not my go-to as far as spirits go, but I think that’s what really sets the Naked & Famous apart. Because so little is used and it’s matched against two flavorful liqueurs, its harsh edges are really smoothed out. I don’t know that I’d add this to my rotation but have to give it four stars nonetheless because it’s a really delicious drink.”
Recipe
This cocktail recipe was adapted from Steve The Bartender’s Cocktail Guide by Steve Roennfeldt.
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 2024-10-14.
Naked & Famous
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.
Ingredients
Method
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Add mezcal, Yellow Chartreuse, Aperol, lime juice, and cubed ice to a blender.
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Shake for 10-20 seconds.
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Strain into a cocktail glass.
