Naked and famous
Naked and Famous is a modern classic cocktail that combines mezcal, Aperol, Chartreuse, and lime juice. This smoky and herbal drink is balanced, refreshing, and perfect for any occasion.
Naked and famous recipe
- 2.25 cl mezcal
- 2.25 cl yellow Chartreuse
- 2.25 cl Aperol
- 2.25 cl fresh lime juice
Pour all ingredients into shaker with ice cubes. Shake well. Strain into chilled cocktail glass.
How to shake a Naked and Famous properly
- Chill a cocktail glass first so the drink stays crisp and bright once strained. A few minutes in the freezer works well, or fill it with ice water while you prep.
- Measure equal parts mezcal, yellow Chartreuse, Aperol, and freshly squeezed lime juice into a shaker. Because the build is perfectly balanced, accurate measuring matters more here than in many cocktails.
- Add plenty of cold ice and shake hard for about 10 to 12 seconds. You want full chilling and enough dilution to soften the sharp edges of the lime and the herbal intensity.
- Dump the ice water from the glass if using, then fine strain into the chilled cocktail glass for a smooth, polished texture.
- Serve immediately, straight up and very cold. No garnish is required, though an expressed lime peel can add a little extra aroma if you like.
What the drink tastes like
The Naked and Famous is smoky, bittersweet, herbal, and sharply citrusy all at once. Mezcal gives it an earthy campfire note, while yellow Chartreuse brings honeyed herbs and spice. Aperol adds orange-like bitterness and a vivid color, and lime keeps everything taut and refreshing.
Despite its equal-parts structure, it is not heavy. It drinks with the snap of a modern sour and the layered complexity of a last-word-style cocktail.
Why this modern classic stands out
This drink is widely credited to Joaquín Simó, who created it in the late 2000s at Death & Co. in New York. It is often described as a riff on the Last Word and also related in spirit to the Paper Plane, using equal proportions to build a cocktail that feels both precise and effortless.
Its name came from the song “Tricky Kid” by Tricky, which includes the line “naked and famous.”
Best way to serve it
Serve it very cold in a stemmed cocktail glass. Because there is no ice in the finished drink, temperature is part of the balance: as it warms, the herbal sweetness can come forward quickly. This makes it an excellent first-round cocktail before richer drinks.
A zero-proof smoky-bitter riff
For a non-alcoholic version, combine a smoky zero-proof spirit, a gentian- or herbal-style NA aperitif, a lightly sweet herbal syrup, and fresh lime in equal parts. Shake with ice and strain up. It will not be identical, but you can capture the same smoky, bitter-citrus, herb-driven shape.