Even though summer doesn’t *officially* begin until June 20, we’re already fully immersing ourselves in the upcoming season. This summer is going to be a little different from years past, as many states continue to advise residents to stay home and refrain from any nonessential travel, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the best sunny months.
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Even if that summer getaway you were dreaming about is postponed this year, you can still prepare the best seasonal cocktail concoctions from your favorite hotel spots and just pretend you’re on that beach on the Amalfi Coast.
We spoke with the top mixologists, bartenders, directors and cocktail connoisseurs at the best hotels all over the world to hear about all the drinks they recommend for summer. Don’t fret if you don’t have the specific ingredients used for these beverages; just substitute with whatever you have on hand, and it’ll surely be just as delicious.
Below, our favorite recipes for the perfect seasonal aperitifs to mix together right now.
TERRACE ON LAKE COMO
Grand Hotel Tremezzo, Lake Como
“This cocktail is a tribute to our T Bar terrace overlooking Lake Como,” says Hatem Alouane, the bartender at Grand Hotel Tremezzo. “The ingredients highlight a strong presence of the region like the saffron, which represents the Lombardy cuisine and the orange color, which is the brandmark of Grand Hotel Tremezzo.”
Recipe:
2 oz Bulleit Bourbon
0.5 oz Aperol
0.5 oz Saffron
5 pink peppercorns
Combine all ingredients in a shaker with a lot of ice and shaken vigorously. Garnish with white celery.
HAND-SHAKEN BARTENDER’S COLADA
Hamilton Princess, Bermuda
“At the Hamilton Princess, the hand-shaken Bartender’s Colada is one of the most popular beverages on the menu. The Pina Colada is a guilty pleasure; traditionally made with white rum, cream of coconut and pineapple juice,” explains Shawn Lekki, the food and beverage director at the Hamilton Princess in Bermuda. “In Bermuda, the bartender’s rum of choice is Goslings. We selected the light and aromatic Goslings Gold Seal Rum as the base of the cocktail, combining citrus to bring some acidity, amplifying the tangy pineapple and creamy coconut.”
Recipe:
1.5 oz Goslings Gold Rum
1 oz Fresh Lime Mix
1 oz pineapple juice
1 oz orange juice
0.5 oz Coco Lopez
Measure into a pint mixing glass and fill with ice.Cap and shake vigorously. Pour into glass. Float rum on top.
PRETTY IN PINK
Hôtel de Crillon, A Rosewood Hotel, Paris
“Our newest addition to the hotel is the al fresco Concorde Terrace, which recently debuted as an extension of bar Les Ambassadeurs,” Yann Daniel, the director of bar at the Hôtel de Crillon’s Les Ambassadrices, informed us. “The Pretty in Pink cocktail is a signature favorite in the new space, and was created as an ode to our all-female resident band Les Ambassadrices, who showcase their incredible talent at the bar each night. The refreshing combination of peaches and champagne ushers in the summer season, and this easy to make at home cocktail is perfect for those who are looking for a sweet, luxurious and colorful drink.”
Recipe:
0.85 oz Absolut Elyx Vodka
0.85 oz Tawny Port
0.3 oz crème de peche
0.3 oz peach puree
0.7 honey syrup
0.7 lemon juice
3 dashes peach bitters
Brut Champagne
Dehydrated lime wheel
Fill a glass with crushed ice and leave to the side. Combine the vodka, port, crème de peche, peach puree and lemon juice in a shaker filled with ice, and add three dashes of peach bitters. Shake until the shaker is frozen cold to the touch. Discard the crushed ice from the glass and replace with fresh cubed ice. Double strain the contents of the shaker into the glass. Top with Brut Champagne and a dehydrated lime peel.
KONA LIME COCKTAIL
Four Seasons Resort Hualalai, Hawaii
“For those at home, summer is the perfect time to experiment with fresh fruit in your cocktails. Rum is the perfect base for adding your favorite fruit and enjoying over ice in the sunshine,” suggests Brigeth Brookins, the Assistant Director of food and beverage at the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai.
Recipe:
1.5 oz Kuleana Rum (substitute any dark rum)
0.75 oz Kalamansi/Lilikoi (Passion fruit) puree (substitute with strawberry or peach puree)
1.5 oz Kona Lime Sour
Combine all ingredients, stir and pour into a highball glass over ice.
THE PALE PORT AND TONIC
The Yeatman Hotel, Portugal
“This is my favorite everyday drink! Port and Tonic is always a good idea, and the orange zest really makes the difference,” says Beatriz Machado, the Wine Director at The Yeatman. “It is really refreshing and easily reproducible at home—try it after a beach day or while cooking with friends.”
Recipe:
2.5 oz Taylor Fladgate White Port
1 bottle tonic (like Fever Tree Indian tonic)
1 orange zest.
Build over ice in highball glass and garnish with lemon or cucumber wedge.
101 SPRITZ
Belmond El Encanto, Santa Barbara
“The 101 Spritz is a twist on a classic aperol spritz with elevated coastal flair. I love how the notes of citrus, juniper, peach, orange and rhubarb invoke a refreshing feeling,” says Jordan DeVille, the Sommelier at Belmond El Encanto.
Recipe:
1 oz Aviation Gin
1 oz Aperol
1 oz white peach puree
Orange bitters
Prosecco
Orange wedge/flower
Fill a white wine glass with ice. Combine Aviation Gin, Aperol, white peach puree, orange bitters (to your liking) and Prosecco into the glass. No need to shake. Top the glass with an orange wedge and/or a flower.
CASTELFALFI SOUR
Toscana Resort Castelfalfi, Tuscany
“This is a unique cocktail born and raised in Castelfalfi, thanks to the unusual but delicious blend of local ingredients including gin and red wine, combined in a new, uncommon creation,” explains Lars-Frederick Isken, the barman at Toscana Resort Castelfalfi, a Preferred Hotel.
Recipe:
1.5 oz Peter in Florence Gin
1 oz fresh lemon juice
1.5 oz sugar
Splash soda
1.5 oz Chianti DOCG Cerchiaia Riserva Tenuta di Castelfalfi
Put gin, sugar and lemon into the shaker and after shaking for 12 seconds, double strain into a high bowl glass. Top with soda
PEACHES AND CREAM
The Westin Nashville
“As peaches come into season during the summer, their sweet, fragrant flavors are amazing in cocktails. A simple yet delicious dessert turned into a cocktail, this cool and creamy cocktail is the perfect summer treat,” says LJ Zrnic, the General Manager at the L27 Rooftop Lounge at the Westin Nashville.
1 oz Grey Goose Vanilla
1 oz Giffard Peach
1 oz simple syrup
0.25 oz lemon juice
1.25 oz half and half
Combine all ingredients in a shaker. Pour over ice in a rocks glass and garnish with a pineapple leaf or orange peel.
Lavender Aviation
Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek, Dallas
“The warm summer months call for a lighter cocktail that is easy to sip any time of day, whether you’re lounging by the pool or enjoying happy hour at home,” explains Danny Caffall, lead bartender at The Mansion Bar at Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek. “Our Lavender Aviation blends gin, lemon and lavender, complemented by maraschino and crème de violette, to create a sweet yet tart concoction that’s both simple and refreshing.”
Recipe:
2 oz gin of choice
0.75 oz fresh lemon juice
0.5 oz lavender syrup
0.5 oz creme de violette
Luxardo Maraschino
Amarena cherries
Build over ice in a shaker. Shake as much or as little as you like. Pour into martini glass or cup. Garnish with Amarena cherries, a lemon peel or fresh mint.
AZIMUTH SPRITZ
Almanac Barcelona, Spain
“Even if you can’t travel to Spain right now, this refreshing cocktail will transport you straight to a Barcelona rooftop,” says Sebastian Ruggieri, the director of food and beverage at Almanac Barcelona. “We like using Cava here instead of champagne or Prosecco, as its citrus notes complement the vermouth. An orange peel works well as a garnish if you don’t have hibiscus flower on hand.”
Recipe:
2.5 oz. Martini Fiero vermouth
0.5 oz. Martini Royal Rosatto vermouth
0.5 oz. rose syrup
Splash of Cava
Served over ice in a red wine glass.
SANGRIA SPRITZ
The Surf Lodge, Montauk, New York
“My favorite summer ingredient is grapefruit,” says Remi Shobitan, the mixologist at The Surf Lodge. “It’s very refreshing and the perfect balance between sweet and bitter.”
Recipe:
3 oz Whispering Angel Rose
0.5 oz vodka
0.5 oz Aperol
1 oz fresh grapefruit juice
0.5 oz orange
0.5 oz simple syrup
Combine all ingredients, shake and strain over fresh ice. Garnish with a lemon, orange wheel and four raspberries.
CAIPIRINHA
Belmond Copacabana Palace, Rio de Janerio, Brazil
“The caipirinha is the signature cocktail of Brazil. With just a few ingredients, it is quick and easy to make,” explains Anderson Tavares, the head barman at Belmond Copacabana Palace. “It’s also a classic drink that offers many twists. It can have several variations depending on the fruit used in the recipe and what is in season.”
Recipe:
1 glass whiskey
2 tsp sugar
1 lemon
2 oz cachaça
Remove the ends of the lemon and cut it into at least four pieces. Macerate the lemon delicately, so as not to crush the peel too much. This is the secret for a caipirinha to not become bitter. Add the sugar and plenty of ice, then add the cachaça. Mix well.
THE PARABOLA
The Newt, Somerset
“Celebrating the walled apple tree maze at the core of our gardens, and using our very own cider made on site by our expert team, this is a lovely, refreshing tipple perfect for those dreaming of summer in the English countryside,” suggests The Newt’s general manager Andrew Foulkes.
Recipe:
0.85 oz The Newt Apple Gin (or gin of choice)
0.85 oz St. Germain elderflower liqueur
0.17 oz Elderflower cordial
2.5 oz The Newt Medium Cyder (or cider of choice)
Fill a highball glass generously with ice cubes. Pour over the gin, liqueur and cordial. Top up with The Newt Medium Cyder. Garnish with rosemary or lavender and a thin slice of apple.
THE BRAMBLE
The NoMo Soho, New York
“The Bramble is an elevated twist on a classic gin sour. Initially introduced as a seasonal drink in the Summer of 2018, its popularity with our guests ensured it became a permanent fixture on our menu,” Erica Figueroa, the mixologist at Preferred Hotels’ NoMo Soho, told Observer.
Recipe:
8 muddled blackberries
0.75 oz lime
0.75 oz simple syrup
2 oz gin (optional vodka/tequila)
Fill an Old Fashioned glass with crushed ice. Take an ice-filled cocktail shaker and pour in the gin, lime, simple syrup and muddled blackberries. Shake for 10 seconds and strain twice to ensure seeds are removed. Pour over the ice and garnish with blackberries.
ES VEDRA
7Pines Kempinski Ibiza, Spain
“The Es Vedrà cocktail is a portion of Ibiza in liquid state: introduced to the island by the Arabs in the tenth century, the lemon is the cocktail’s dominant note, softened by the almond, one of the star ingredient in Ibiza’s gastronomy, combined with a touch of raspberry, salted
Recipe:
1.7 oz Gin Mare infused lemon grass
0.85 oz lemon juice
0.5 oz almond syrup
Shake and strain. Serve in Martini glass and place glass in an ice ball. Garnish with dried lemon and raspberry.
