There’s something special about summer. The sun is out, the energy is high, and even the most mundane tasks have a celebratory air about them. Billboard charts annually crown a song of the summer, and films at the box office duke it out for the title of summer blockbuster. So it only makes sense that a drink of the summer emerges every year.
We can’t rely on album streams or ticket sales to determine the season’s most popular drink. But our collective summer drinking habits typically point to one cocktail leading the pack. And it certainly doesn’t hurt that we have a larger sample size—aside from a brief spike during the holidays, summer is when U.S. alcohol sales peak.
We have closely followed seasonal drink trends for years, so as soon as the snow started to melt, we started our search for the ultimate summer drink of 2025. With extensive research and the help of dozens of bartenders in the field, we’ve narrowed down our prediction to just one candidate: the Naked & Famous.
Like our 2024 pick, the Porn Star Martini, the Naked & Famous has a distinct origin story. Bartender Joaquín Simó first created the drink in 2011 as one of the opening staff members at the lauded New York cocktail bar Death & Co. Cocktails like the Last Word and Sam Ross’s iconic Paper Plane inspired the Naked & Famous's sweet and smoky combination of equal parts mezcal, yellow Chartreuse, Aperol, and lime.
How We Predicted The Drink Of The Summer
I was first introduced to the Naked & Famous several years ago at Sam Ross's downtown speakeasy, Attaboy. Aperol’s popularity was already well-established at that point, but awareness of mezcal and yellow Chartreuse was typically limited to enthusiasts and craft cocktail bars.
In 2025, the tide appears to be turning. Alcohol industry magazine SevenFifty Daily reported that U.S. mezcal sales increased by 143 percent between 2020 and 2023. The agave spirits industry earned over $6.7 billion in revenue last year alone, outpacing the entire American whiskey market. And consumer demand only continues to grow.
"We expect to see a lot of mezcal cocktails being enjoyed this summer," says Jared Meisler of The Benjamin Hollywood in Los Angeles. And according to Wine Enthusiast, we can credit the Naked & Famous for playing a significant role in mezcal’s widespread popularity.
"Years ago, people just never ordered mezcal because they were scared of it," says Lauren Rojas, head bartender at Jac’s on Bond in New York. Now she sees people ordering it regularly, often as a stand-in for tequila in a classic margarita. "Pairing something smoky with something light, refreshing, and bright is always a good combination," she adds.
Described by Simó himself as a "more evolved, refined margarita," the Naked & Famous certainly fits the bill. The bright lime, the bittersweet Aperol, and the honey-like sweetness of yellow Chartreuse temper the smoky edge of mezcal, which makes the cocktail the perfect entry-level exposure to the agave spirit.
In his newsletter The Spirits, drinks journalist Richard Godwin says that while Last Word-esque cocktails typically aren’t to everyone’s taste, the popularity of the Naked & Famous prevails. He cites the name as part of the cocktail’s staying power, calling it a "drinking person’s Porn Star Martini."
Bartenders have definitely noticed the mainstream awareness of the Naked & Famous. Out of all of the uncommon agave-based cocktails, Beverage Director Freddy Salazar of Brooklyn's Enso says that the Naked & Famous is one of the most popular. "I’ve seen a lot of people ordering it, especially when the weather is nice," he says.
For other industry professionals, the Naked & Famous’s star power is a welcome surprise. "It’s a quintessential bartender classic," Rojas says. "I didn’t realize that people outside of the bar world were cognizant of this drink."
The growth of the cocktail among American consumers has been steady for over a decade. In 2020, the International Bar Association added the Naked & Famous to their official cocktail list, joining the ranks of some of the most iconic drinks. In the past year alone, Google searches for the cocktail increased by nearly 20%. And just last summer, Simó partnered with Tip Top Cocktails to release a ready-to-drink version of the Naked & Famous nationwide. As mezcal continues to cement itself as an essential spirit stateside, the cocktail will only continue to hold up its reputation as a modern classic.
How To Make The Drink Of The Summer At Home
To make a Naked & Famous just as balanced and refreshing as the original recipe, you'll want to reach for a specific base spirit. Simó's mezcal of choice is Del Maguey's Chichicapa mezcal for its robust and full-bodied flavor. If you're using a different brand, he recommends using one that's smoky and assertive to enjoy the drink as intended.
Aperol and lime juice are already home bar staples, but what about yellow Chartreuse? The French herbal liqueur has been made since 1840 with a secret recipe closely guarded by Carthusian monks. It regularly appears in contemporary cocktail bars, but widespread shortages have made it an elusive ingredient. A few years ago, the monks who produce Chartreuse decided to limit production despite global demand to focus on "solitude and prayer."
Supply is scarce and can come at a premium (especially if tariffs come to fruition). While nothing will fully capture the magic of the real thing, there are suitable Yellow Chartreuse substitutes you can use in a Naked & Famous.
Faccia Brutto Centerbe Giallo
Liquore Strega
Forthave Yellow Génépi Liqueur
Whether you stick to tradition or deviate from the original recipe, the Naked & Famous will be the perfect smoky, sweet sip to enjoy all summer long. Want to try the cocktail for yourself? Get our recipe.
