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Try the modern classic Naked and Famous cocktail! This mezcal and Aperol drink balances with smoke, sunshine, spice, and citrus with layers of unexpected complexity.
Some cocktail recipes make us sit up and take notice, and this is one of them. The Naked and Famous cocktail is as impressive as its name, from first sip! It’s got only four ingredients but balances the perfect harmony of smoky, citrus, bitter, and sweet.
This modern cocktail was created in 2011 as a riff on the classic Last Word cocktail, which we adore. As certified mixologists with hundreds of cocktail recipes in our library, this one stands out. It’s crisp, fresh, modern with a retro flair—in fact, it might be kind of perfect.
Ingredients in the Naked and Famous
The Naked and Famous cocktail is a mixed drink made with equal parts mezcal, Chartreuse, Aperol, and lime juice. It was invented in 2011 by bartender Joaquín Simó while working at the bar Death and Co in New York City. He’s said to have claimed that this drink is the “love child” of the Last Word and the Paper Plane.
Some modern classic cocktails go on to become “canonized” by the International Bartender Association’s IBA official cocktails, a list that includes all the classic cocktails (Martini, Manhattan, Whiskey Sour, Old Fashioned and all the greats). A few new cocktails have made the list, and the Naked and Famous is one of them! The official ingredients in a Naked and Famous are 1 ounce each of:
- Mezcal
- Chartreuse (yellow Chartreuse for the IBA official version)
- Aperol
- Lime juice
How to make a Naked and Famous cocktail
Once you’ve got all those ingredients assembled, all you have to do is shake and strain. Here’s how to make a Naked and Famous:
- Shake: Add the ingredients to a cocktail shaker. Fill it with ice and then shake until very cold. (Don’t have a cocktail shaker? Use a mason jar with a cover instead.)
- Strain: Strain the drink into a cocktail glass. (Don’t have a cocktail strainer? Use a fine mesh strainer instead.)
- Garnish: If you’d like, a lime wedge makes the glass more festive.
More about Chartreuse
The most unique ingredient in a Naked and Famous cocktail that you might not have already is Chartreuse. What is it and is it worth buying? Here’s what to know:
- Chartreuse is an herbal liqueur that’s been made by French monks since the mid-1700’s. It’s made by aging alcohol with a secret blend of 130 plants. Chartreuse liqueur comes in two colors: green and yellow.
- What cocktails use Chartreuse? There are several famous Chartreuse cocktails. Green Chartreuse is featured in two iconic classic cocktails, the Last Word and Bijou. It’s also used in a Fernet Sour.
- Do you really need yellow Chartreuse for a Naked and Famous? Yes and no. If you want to make the most authentic version of this drink, you can try to find yellow. But since most other well-known cocktails only use green Chartreuse, we customized our recipe to use either version.
Aperol adds bitter complexity
If you’re considering making this cocktail, you probably know Aperol. It’s an Italian bitter aperitif with a bright orange color and lightly sweet, citrusy flavor. Aperol is most commonly used in the popular Aperol spritz. It tastes lightly sweet, bitter, and balanced, with notes of herbs and citrus.
Another famous Italian aperitif you might know is Campari, the main ingredient in a Negroni. Campari was the first ever aperitif invented in Italy in the 1860’s. Aperol came along in 1919, and it was later bought by the Campari company in the 1990’s. The light flavor of Aperol is much more approachable than bitter Campari, in our opinion.
Mezcal balances with a wisp of smoke
The last liquor in the Naked and Famous cocktail is mezcal. Mezcal is a famous Mexican alcohol made from the agave plant. If you’ve had a drink at a bar in the last 5 years, you’ve probably tried something with mezcal in it! It’s absolutely worth adding to your collection. Here are some notes on this special liquor:
- Mezcal is a type of alcohol made from the agave plant (like tequila). Tequila is mezcal, but not all mezcal is tequila. Only one type of agave plant (blue agave) makes tequila, but mezcal can be made from 11 different varieties of agave.
- What’s the best mezcal to buy? Go to The Best Mezcal at Any Price.
- What other cocktails use mezcal? So many! Try these tasty mezcal cocktails like the Mezcal Margarita, Mezcal Negroni, Mezcal Mule, and Mezcal Paloma.
Frequently asked questions
The Naked & Famous has a complex flavor profile with a smoky backbone from the mezcal, balanced by the herbal sweetness of Chartreuse and the bright citrus of lime. The Aperol adds a touch of bitterness and complexity, rounding out the drink.
While the original recipe is well-balanced, you can experiment with substitutions. For example, you could try using a different type of agave spirit like tequila, or swap Aperol for another bitter liqueur like Campari.
Yes, you can easily batch the cocktail by combining the ingredients in a larger container and stirring well. Just be sure to shake each serving with ice before straining into glasses.
Naked and Famous Cocktail
Try the modern classic Naked and Famous cocktail! This mezcal and Aperol drink balances with smoke, sunshine, spice, and citrus with layers of unexpected complexity.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 drink 1x
- Category: Drink
- Method: Shaken
- Cuisine: Cocktail
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 1 ounce* mezcal
- 1 ounce yellow or green Chartreuse
- 1 ounce Aperol
- 1 ounce fresh lime juice
Instructions
- Add the mezcal, Chartreuse, Aperol, and lime juice to a cocktail shaker. Fill it with 2 handfuls ice and shake it until cold.
- Strain into a cocktail glass. If desired, garnish with a lime wedge.
Notes
*1 ounce = 2 tablespoons
More drinks with the equal parts cocktail formula
The “equal parts cocktail” is one of our favorite formulas for a drink, mostly because it’s so easy to remember! When you’ve made as many cocktail recipes as we have, you start to notice patterns. There’s a long historical tradition in the formula of using equal parts of all ingredients like the Naked and Famous. Here are a few well-known equal parts cocktails:
- Negroni: Invented in the 1920’s, it features equal parts gin, red vermouth and Campari.
- Last Word: Invented in 1916, it uses equal parts gin, maraschino, Chartreuse, and lime.
- Bijou Cocktail: Invented in 1890’s, it stars equal parts gin, sweet vermouth, and Chartreuse.
- Paper Plane: Invented in 2007, this modern classic boasts equal parts bourbon, Campari, amaro and lemon.
Another related drink is the Division Bell, which also features mezcal and Aperol (just not in the equal parts ratio!).
Great! Herbally and bright. I had a drink recently that was too citrusy (for me) so I took the recommendation to dial back the lime and it was spot on for me. Will make this again. Thank you!!
So glad you enjoyed it!
I made this without the mezcal since I personally don’t care for it. I used Hendrix’s instead and It was delicious! I also substituted Avion silver Tequila and that worked too!
This is a pretty cocktail that uses some of the more interesting ingredients in my liquor cabinet. I love the smokiness. This will surely be a summer standby. I might even try it with Campari.
I found the lime juice a bit overpowering. It masks some of the subtle herbal flavors in the Chartreuse and the Aperol. Next time I make this I’ll dial the lime down to 1/2 oz.
Hi!
No worries here just wanted to offer a small correction! It says this cocktail is vegan in the gray area under the title. I just wanted to note that Aperol is not technically vegan the dyes in it are made from bugs.
Some vegans truly do not mind that, but some may!
Thanks
Thanks for pointing this out!
To be clear, neither the Yellow #6 nor the Red #40 dye in Aperol are made from Bugs.
Historically, Aperol was colored with Cochineal, but that isn’t the practice in Modern Aperol production.
There are craft Bitter and Apertif makers that still use Cochineal in their production, so be aware of that if that’s the lifestyle choice you’re making.