iStockphoto / MaximFesenko
2025 has seen some interesting cocktail trends emerge and one of my favorites so far has been the rise of agave-based cocktails. That isn’t to say that agave-based cocktails haven’t been popular for years, but some industry insiders have already named the ‘Naked & Famous’ cocktail as the Drink of the Year for 2025. Let’s start with that one as we dive into the 4 best Summer cocktails of 2025.
So let’s start there, shall we? Typically made with a Mezcal, I’ve embellished the recipe and upgraded it to include El Mexicano Tequila’s 90-day aged Reposado (or their Blanco) which is rich with agave on the nose and over the tongue. This 40% ABV El Mexicano Tequila carries notes of vanilla, apricot, and some wood from the 20% French Oak and 80% American Oak barrels it is aged in.
Mixed together in the Naked & Famous cocktail, it all comes together in perfect harmony. The full recipe, as I make it with tequila in lieu of Mezcal, is as follows…. Over ice, mix together 1oz El Mexicano Reposado Tequila, 1oz Aperol, 1oz Yellow Chartreuse, 1oz Lime Juice, and shake vigorously until you feel like you’ve got the job done.
Foley Family Spirits
Serve it in coupe or Nick and Nora glass strained but with cracked ice shards in there similar to how you’d pour a dirty martini. Ultimately, you can serve it in whatever glass you’d like but this is what the cool kids suggest (cool kids = the mixologists hyping this recipe).
But what about the yellow chartreuse shortage? Well, yeah, that’s inconvenient. People pouring this cocktails in bars have sopped up a ton of the yellow chartreuse supply but if you look hard enough you will find it. And if you can’t, you can substitute Benedictine, Strega, Dolin Genepy, and/oor Accompani Flora Green. My best advice with this drink is to pour a view…(1) Mezcal, (1) Blanco, and (1) Reposado…Do a vertical tasting and see which flavor profile you prefer the most!
2025 Cocktail Trends: What’s Behind The Most Popular Summer Cocktails of 2025
Foley Family Spirits
Not too long ago, Spirits industry giant Diageo published an article through their ‘Bar Academy’ about trends this year and they include: Hyper Localization, Embracing Moderation, Coffee + Chocolate, Rise of Agave, and Premium Mixology.
Cherry picking from that, I’m a sucker for a good Irish Coffee but it’s Summer here in Florida and I’m drinking my coffee over ice so let’s roll with an Iced Irish Coffee recipe, shall we? Mixologist Dan Fellows has won 2 competitions with his recipe but I’ve substituted the spirits to include 2 of my favorites. Here goes:
He calls for 450g Tropical Coffee + 50ml (1.6oz) Rum-Cask Whiskey, which I’ve substituted Two Stacks Irish Whiskey, 30ml Light Muscovado, 2g Saline Solution (make your own), and 200g Oatly Whippable Cream Oat (I’d never had that until this year). I also put 2 drops of coconut extract in mine and served it with a square of Lily’s Extra Dark Chocolate Bar (find it at Whole Foods) and it was divine.
Banana Cocktails Are In!
iStockphoto / Roxiller
It’s hot out. Chilled banana-flavored/based cocktails are always popular in the Summer. So why not whip together the Dirty Banana from Liquor.com which goes as follows: “2 ounces rum, 1 ounce banana liqueur, 1 ounce coffee liqueur, 2 ounces half-and-half (or 1 ounce heavy cream and 1 ounce whole milk), 1 banana, slightly overripe, cut into chunks, Garnish: banana chunk, with peel.”
Another banana-based cocktail you might recognize from the Dead Rabbits menu is the Psycho Killer. It is the brainchild of Dead Rabbits bartender Jillian Vose.
She uses 12-year-old Redbreast Irish Whiskey in hers and while I’d NEVER EVER EVER delude myself into thinking I could improve upon her recipe, I simply like mine better with the new Knob Creek Single Barrel Select Cask Strength. This new release from the James B. Beam Distilling Co. is a 110-130 proof Cask Strength Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey…Run (don’t walk) to find this one.
Here’s the recipe (via Liquor.com) tweaked to how I made it at home for my wife last Sunday:
(1) 2 ounces Knob Creek Single Barrel Select Cask Strength, (2) .75oz cocoa nib-infused Campari (Add 3 tablespoons cocoa nibs to 1 liter Campari and let infuse for one hour. Strain out solids and discard), (3) .5oz Marie Brizard white creme de cacao, (4) .5oz Giffard Banane du Brésil, and (5) 2 dashes absinthe of your choice.
As always, I’m open to suggestions when it comes to cocktails! Hit me up at [email protected] if you think I missed a cocktail that should be featured here.