URL Slug: naked-and-famous-cocktail-recipe
Tags: mezcal, yellow chartreuse, aperol, lime juice
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Video title in recipe card: Naked and Famous Cocktail Recipe (with Easy Step-by-Step Video)
The Naked and Famous is what happens when someone decides to take four completely different spirits and somehow make them play nice together. This isn’t your grandfather’s cocktail—it’s the kind of drink that shows up to the party fashionably late and immediately becomes the most interesting person in the room. 🔥
Created by Joaquín Simó at Death & Co in New York, this modern classic is basically the bohemian cousin of the Paper Plane. Equal parts everything, zero apologies for being weird.
The Naked and Famous is typically served in a coupe glass. The coupe’s wide rim lets all those complex aromas hit you at once, which is exactly what this cocktail wants. If you don’t have a coupe, a Nick and Nora will work, but please don’t serve this in a rocks glass—it’s not that kind of drink.
Naked and Famous Recipe
The Naked and Famous is a modern classic cocktail created by Joaquín Simó at Death & Co. This equal-parts drink combines mezcal, Yellow Chartreuse, Aperol, and lime juice for a complex, smoky, and herbal experience that’s both sophisticated and approachable.
1
servings200
kcal3
minutesIngredients
0.75 Ounce Mezcal (Del Maguey Vida or Banhez)
0.75 Ounce Yellow Chartreuse
0.75 Ounce Aperol
0.75 Ounce Fresh lime juice
1 Piece Lime wheel
Directions
- Add mezcal, Yellow Chartreuse, Aperol, and lime juice to a shaker with ice.
- Shake vigorously for 12-15 seconds until well-chilled.
- Double strain into a chilled coupe glass.
- Express lime oils over the drink by squeezing the lime wheel.
- Drop the lime wheel into the drink or rest it on the rim.
Equipment
A Bar Above Antique Boston Shaker (Gold)Buy this shaker
A Bar Above Gold Hawthorne StrainerBuy it here
A Bar Above Stainless Steel Citrus Juicer (Gold)A Bar Above Stainless Steel Citrus Juicer (Gold)
A Bar Above Gold Japanese JiggerBuy this jigger here
Luxardo The Original Maraschino CherriesBuy this garnish here- Schott Zwiesel Coupe GlassesBuy these coupe glasses here
Recipe Video
Notes
- Yellow Chartreuse is essential—there’s no substitute that will give you the same herbal complexity.
- Double straining is crucial to remove any pulp and create a silky texture.
- Chill your coupe glass in the freezer for at least 10 minutes before serving.
- If you can’t find mezcal, a good reposado tequila works, but you’ll lose the signature smokiness.
- This drink is all about balance—if any ingredient dominates, check your measurements.
The Best Ingredients For a Naked and Famous
- Mezcal: Del Maguey Vida ($35) is perfect for this—smoky but not overpowering. Banhez ($25) works too if you’re being budget-conscious.
- Yellow Chartreuse: There’s literally no substitute. Yes, it’s expensive ($60), but you only need ¾ oz and this bottle will last forever.
- Aperol: The sweet, orange-y bitter that makes this whole thing work. Don’t even think about subbing Campari here.
- Lime Juice: Fresh squeezed or go home. One lime typically gives you about 1 oz of juice.
Fun Fact
The name comes from the Radiohead song “Naked and Famous”—because apparently cocktail nerds also have great taste in music.
Why I Like It
This drink is like watching a really good indie film—complex, a little weird, and you’re not entirely sure what’s happening until the third sip. Then suddenly everything clicks and you realize you’re experiencing something special.
The mezcal brings that smoky, earthy backbone that makes you feel like a mysterious stranger in a dive bar. The Chartreuse adds this herbal complexity that’s almost medicinal but in the best possible way. And the Aperol? It’s the diplomat that makes everyone get along.
It’s also one of those cocktails that makes you look incredibly sophisticated when you order it. Most bartenders will give you a little nod of respect because you clearly know what you’re about.
A Brief History of the Naked and Famous 🍸
Created around 2011 by Joaquín Simó at Death & Co in New York City, this cocktail was born during the craft cocktail renaissance when bartenders were experimenting with equal-parts riffs on classic templates.
Simó wanted to create something that showcased mezcal’s complexity while balancing it with other bold flavors. The result was this four-way split that somehow works despite looking completely chaotic on paper.
The Naked and Famous helped establish mezcal as a legitimate base spirit in craft cocktails, paving the way for dozens of other agave-forward drinks that followed.
What’s brilliant about this drink is how it takes the equal-parts template popularized by the Last Word and updates it with modern ingredients. It’s like taking a classic song and giving it a remix that somehow improves on the original.
Within a few years, the Naked and Famous had spread from Death & Co to cocktail menus across the country. It became the gateway drug for people discovering mezcal, because it presents the spirit in such a balanced, approachable way.
Final Thoughts 🎉
The Naked and Famous is proof that modern cocktails can be just as timeless as the classics. At about 200 calories, it’s not the lightest drink on the menu, but those four ingredients pack enough complexity to justify every sip.
This drink doesn’t try to please everyone—it knows exactly what it is and owns it completely. Kind of like that friend who wears vintage band t-shirts unironically and somehow makes it work. What’s your take on this modern classic? Drop your thoughts below.
