Naked and Famous

Origin

Joaquín Simó, Death and Co, New York City, 2011. Simó, one of the key figures of the New York cocktail renaissance, created the drink while on the bar programme at Death and Co. Named after the Scissor Sisters song 'Naked and Famous,' it was included in the Death and Co cocktail book (2014) and has since become one of the most replicated modern cocktails in craft bars globally.

Description

The Naked and Famous is the 21st century's most successful equal-parts cocktail after the Paper Plane — mezcal, Yellow Chartreuse, Aperol, and fresh lime juice in exact equal measures, created by Joaquín Simó at Death and Co in New York City in 2011. Named after a Scissor Sisters song, it applies the Last Word's equal-parts formula to a combination of ingredients that has never been tried before: the smoke of mezcal, the honey-herbal sweetness of Yellow Chartreuse, the orange bitterness of Aperol, and the lime's acid brightness. It is a drink of startling complexity from four completely different ingredient families that achieve an implausible harmony.

The Thread

• The Naked and Famous's mezcal-Chartreuse pairing connects Alpine herbal liqueur tradition with Oaxacan agave culture — a transatlantic botanical bridge. The Chartreuse's monastic herbal recipe connects to European herbalism; the mezcal's agave roasting connects to pre-Columbian Mesoamerican fermentation culture. The Aperol bridge pulls in the Italian aperitivo tradition.

Flavour Context

FOOD PAIRING: The Naked and Famous's smoke-herbal-citrus complexity pairs with roasted, spiced, and herbal preparations. Provenance 1000 pairings: grilled octopus with herb salsa verde (the herbal Chartreuse bridge to the salsa), smoked duck breast (smoke amplification), tacos de canasta with Oaxacan cheese (the mezcal cultural context), honey-glazed roasted vegetables (Chartreuse's honey note), and alpine cheese board.

Key Principles

Equal parts (3/4 oz each): mezcal, Yellow Chartreuse, Aperol, fresh lime juice. This is the formula — no adjustments are traditional or appropriate.

Mezcal choice determines the smoke level: Del Maguey Vida is the original choice (medium smoke, accessible earthy character). A heavier mezcal (Vago Espadin en Barro) creates a smokier version; Banhez (lighter smoke) creates a more approachable one.

Yellow Chartreuse (not green): Yellow Chartreuse at 40% ABV is sweeter and softer than Green Chartreuse at 55%. The honey and saffron notes of the Yellow are specifically calibrated for this drink. Green Chartreuse at 55% would overwhelm the other three ingredients.

Aperol (not Campari): Aperol's lower ABV (11%) and sweeter orange-rhubarb profile balances the mezcal's smoke without adding bitterness that would compete with the Chartreuse.

Fresh lime juice: the acid that makes the sweet-smoke-herbal framework legible. Fresh only.

Shake hard with ice and double-strain into a chilled coupe. The drink requires vigorous shaking because the Yellow Chartreuse and Aperol need full emulsification with the lime.

Common Mistakes

Using Green Chartreuse instead of Yellow: the higher alcohol and deeper bitterness of Green Chartreuse breaks the Naked and Famous's balance completely.

Using Campari instead of Aperol: Campari's bitterness at full Campari concentration dominates the mezcal's smoke, creating an unbalanced drink.

Adjusting the ratio: the equal-parts formula is the drink's identity. 3/4 oz per ingredient is precise.

Using an aggressively smoky mezcal without awareness: if the mezcal dominates, the Chartreuse and Aperol become supporting acts rather than equal partners.