Scotch ismy daily drink of choice—specifically, what Christopher Hitchens called "Mr. Walker's amber restorative." Or something a little more potent, such as a Speyside single malt or a high-proof bourbon. But when summer hitsNew Yorkhard, I occasionally get something lighter and more refreshing to survive the increasingly torrid days.
Consider how versatile summer co*cktails can be: They can cool you off, make a family barbecue infinitely more pleasant, and they can even match that new citrus-colored bathing suit you just bought. All that I ask is that post-Memorial Day drinks be relatively easy to concoct—a muddle here, a shake there, and perhapsa sprig of something.
So for this summer's recipes, I asked eight New York City bars and restaurants for their coolest co*cktails. And by the end of the month, all these drinks could be on the house—yours.
THEARNOLD PALMERco*ckTAIL AT IL MULINO PRIME
"An Arnold Palmer is the ultimate combination of two classic summer beverages: iced tea and lemonade. Our adult version has a stiff backswing, so you might want to finish that round of golf before knocking one back!"—Elvis Djesevic, bartender (recipe by Logan Ronkainen)
Calling for two ounces of Russian Standard vodka, Il Mulino Prime's Arnold Palmer is no virgin... [+] drink. (Photo: Paul Crispin Quitoriano)
Ingredients:
2 oz. Russian Standard Vodka
1 oz. Árvero limoncello
½ oz. simple syrup made with orange and lemon zest
Dash of 18.21 Earl Grey bitters
Lemon wheel
Preparation: Combine the vodka, limoncello, and simple syrup with ice in a co*cktail shaker and shake. Strain into an ice-packed Collins glass. Top with dash of Earl Grey bitters. Garnish with a lemon wheel.
THEISLAND PASSION co*ckTAILAT THE 21 CLUB
"Passion fruit instantly transports me to my favorite islands around the world. With this take on a traditional dark and stormy co*cktail, we’re bringing the tropics to 21 for the season." —Edward Kennelly, bartender
21 Club's island passion co*cktail couldn't be easier to make—it only calls for three ingredients.
Ingredients:
2 oz. Captain Morgan rum
3 oz. ginger beer
½ passion fruit
Preparation: Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass. Add ice, shake vigorously. Strain into a Collins glass over fresh ice.
"The link ray is a long and refreshing drink. It incorporates flavors that are savory, crisp, and herbaceous—while having more adventurous components than the usual lime, mint, and cucumber commonly found in summer drinks." —Jim Kearns, head bartender and partner
Love the flavors of tequila, lime, and Suze? Then this co*cktail is for you.
Ingredients:
1 ½ oz. jalapeño-infused tequila, rum, or gin
¾ oz. lime juice
2 oz. celery juice
½ oz. cane syrup
½ oz. Suze
Preparation: Combine all ingredients, shake, and pour into highball glass half-rimmed with celery powder and salt. Top with soda and add ice. Garnish with celery stalk and black pepper.
FRENCH 75 AT THE HOLIDAY co*ckTAIL LOUNGE
"When the weather shifts in spring, I look for simple and clean flavors. The French 75 is a classic (and very refreshing) co*cktail made with cognac, which many people think of as a cold weather spirit. But it’s actually versatile enough to take you right from winter through spring and into summer." —Michael Neff, master mixologist and beverage director
You can never go wrong with a French 75. It's as delicious (and refreshing) as a summer co*cktail can... [+] get.
Ingredients:
1 oz. Louis Royer Force 53 VSOP cognac
¾ oz. freshlemon juice
½ oz. simple syrup
¼ oz. Cointreau
Preparation: Serve in a co*cktail glass. Top with sparkling wine. Garnish with a lemon twist.
THE DE LA CALLE MARGARITA AT TOLOACHE
"This is a signature co*cktail at Toloache: It’s so well loved for the cool sweetness of the cucumber, which is paired with picante jalapeños.It’s definitely one of my favorite margaritas and it’s perfect for the summer months." —Julian Medina, chef and owner
Frozen magaritas? Never. Try this tasty recipe from Toloache instead. It calls for finely chopped... [+] jalapeños—so you can be sure it's a winner.
Ingredients:
2 oz. Don Diego Blanco tequila
2 oz. cucumber purée
1 oz. lime juice
1 oz. light agave nectar
½ bar spoon of jalapeños, finely chopped
1 fresh cucumber, seeded and diced (for the cucumber purée)
Garnish: Tajín, to rim the glass (optional) 1 slice of cucumber, thin
Directions: For the cucumber purée, place the cucumber in a blender (or food processor) and puree until smooth.
Preparation: Combine all ingredients in a co*cktail shaker. Add ice and shake well. Strain the liquid into a chilled Tajín-rimmed rocks glass over ice and garnish with a thin slice of cucumber.
RAGGLE TAGGLE GYPSYAT THE DEAD RABBIT
"The combination of two light spirits, tangy sumac cane syrup, nectarine (a fruit best in the summer season), citrus, and the soft eucalyptus and earth tones of the Boker's Bitters creates a wildly refreshing drink on a summer day or makes it feel like summer when it's a dreary one. We serve this drink punch style at The Dead Rabbit with a nice chunk of ice and grated nutmeg on top."—Greg Buda, bartender
New York's Dead Rabbit does everything right—and this summer co*cktail recipe is among its finest... [+] concoctions.
Ingredients:
1 oz. Pisco Portón
.75 oz. Bacardí Heritage
.75 oz. sumac cane syrup
.75 oz. lemon juice
.5 oz. nectarine juice
2 dashes Boker’s Bitters
Method:Shaken
Glassware:Punch cup and ice nugget
Garnish:Nutmeg
Sumac Syrup: Add 1 tsp. sumac powder to 3 oz. of a 2:1 cane syrup, mix as the syrup is being made and steep for 30 min.
"Jamaican rum, lemon, passion fruit, and grenadine over crushed ice is the perfect drink to sip on a blistery summer day. Its tart and fruity flavors (provided by housemade grenadine and passion fruit) perfectly complement the grassy quality of Jamaican rum." —Mike Shain, general manager
During the summer months, I occasionally ditch my flask of single malt Scotch and switch over to... [+] rum. And this recipe calls for some fine Jamaican ones.
Ingredients:
.75 oz. Smith and Cross Jamaican rum
.75 oz. Appleton Estate V/XJamaican rum
.5 oz. lemon juice
.5 oz. passion fruit syrup
.25 oz. grenadine
1 dash Allspice Dram
1 dash Angostura bitters
Glass: hurricane
Garnish: lemon wheel, orange wheel, demerara rum
Method: Build all of the ingredients in a mixing tin. Whip, shake, and strain into a hurricane glass. Float .25 oz. of 151 Demerara rum. Garnish with orange and lemon wheels.
AVENUE MONTAIGNE AT LE BILBOQUET
“Avenue Montaigne is considered to bela grande dameof French streets for high fashion—and it’s great for a summer stroll. To take diners back to the street and create a feeling of nostalgia—as if imbibers were sipping the co*cktail while window shopping—we created the Avenue Montaigne co*cktail, which includes light and citrusy flavors that can be enjoyed outdoors. The combination of Cointreau, Lillet White, and lemon juice provides light aromatics that make the drink approachable and refreshing during the warmer months.” —Yana Yankove, mixologist
Avenue Montaigne—Le Bilboquet's citrus-forward co*cktail—is best enjoyed alfresco.
Ingredients:
¾ oz. Ketel One Citroen
¾ oz. Cointreau
¾ oz. Lillet White
¾ oz. lemon juice
3 dashes Absinthe bitters
Preparation: Combine all ingredients in a co*cktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well and strain into a chilled glass. Garnish with an orange peel and orchid.
