Ingredients
- 22.5 ml mezcal joven, like Del Maguey Vida
- 22.5 ml Aperol
- 22.5 ml Yellow Chartreuse
- 22.5 ml fresh lime juice
Instructions
- Combine all four ingredients in a shaker filled with ice.
- Shake hard for 10-12 seconds.
- Double-strain into a chilled coupe glass.
- No garnish. The drink is the show.
Notes
Where it came from
Joaquin Simo created the Naked and Famous at Death and Co in New York around 2011, looking to bridge the Last Word (gin, Chartreuse, maraschino, lime) with the Paper Plane (bourbon, Aperol, Amaro Nonino, lemon). Same equal-parts structure, different spirits.
The drink became a cult classic almost immediately. It is one of the few modern cocktails to enter the global classic canon, served everywhere from Tokyo to Mexico City. Simo has said the name refers to “what mezcal could be” if it stopped hiding from the spotlight.
Why equal parts work
Equal-parts cocktails (Last Word, Negroni, Naked and Famous, Paper Plane) are weirdly bulletproof. The four ingredients here all have strong characters: mezcal is smoky, Aperol is bitter-orange, Yellow Chartreuse is herbal-sweet, lime is sharp. At equal volume, no single ingredient takes over. They argue and agree their way to balance.
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Ingredient Spotlight
The bottles that make or break this drink.
The mezcal
- Use
- Del Maguey Vida (the standard mixing mezcal)
- Try
- Banhez Joven, Mezcal Union Uno, or Bozal Borrego
- Why
- Joven (young) mezcal has the smoke and clarity to push through the other strong flavours. Anejo is too soft.
The Yellow Chartreuse
- Use
- Yellow Chartreuse, the lower-proof, sweeter, more honeyed version
- Skip
- Green Chartreuse, much hotter and more aggressive
- Why
- Yellow has the herbal complexity without the booze burn that would knock the drink out of balance.
The Aperol
- Use
- Aperol (the orange Italian aperitivo)
- Try
- Cappelletti or Contratto Aperitif as alternatives, slightly more bitter
- Skip
- Campari, far too bitter and would dominate the drink
What if I don't have…
Quick substitutions for when the bottle shop is closed.
Use Strega (Italian herbal liqueur, similar honey notes) or Genepy. Avoid Green Chartreuse, too hot.
Cappelletti or Cocchi Americano. Campari is too bitter for this drink.
Reposado tequila as a last resort, but you lose the smoke that defines the cocktail.
Bottled is a step down. Lemon juice changes the drink but is not bad.
Use a softer mezcal like Banhez or split with reposado tequila.
Frequently Asked Questions
Direct answers to what people search for after Googling this drink.
What is in a Naked and Famous cocktail?
Equal parts mezcal, Aperol, Yellow Chartreuse and fresh lime juice, shaken and double-strained into a coupe. Standard build is 22.5ml of each, no garnish.
Who invented the Naked and Famous?
Joaquin Simo at Death and Co in New York around 2011. Simo built it as a bridge between the Last Word and the Paper Plane, two other equal-parts modern classics.
What does it taste like?
Smoky from the mezcal, bitter-orange from the Aperol, honeyed-herbal from the Yellow Chartreuse, sharp from the lime. Complex but balanced. None of the four ingredients dominates.
Can I use Green Chartreuse?
You can but it changes the drink significantly. Green Chartreuse is higher proof (55 percent vs 40 percent) and more aggressive. Yellow is the spec for a reason; it brings sweetness and honey to balance the smoke and bitter.
Do I need a fancy mezcal?
No. Del Maguey Vida is the standard mixing mezcal and works great here. Use a joven (young) mezcal, not anejo. Anejo is too soft and gets buried by the other flavours.
How strong is a Naked and Famous?
About 22-26 percent ABV in the glass. Strong, like a Last Word. Drink slowly and savour the layers.
Why is it called Naked and Famous?
Joaquin Simo has said the name refers to mezcal stepping out into the spotlight rather than being a hidden specialty spirit. There may also be a nod to the New Zealand band Naked and Famous, but that has never been confirmed.
What food goes with a Naked and Famous?
Mexican food (tacos al pastor, mole, ceviche), grilled meats, smoky barbecue. The smoke and bitter cut through fat and richness.
