Naked and Famous Cocktail: Recipe, History, and Tips

There’s a certain thrill in discovering a cocktail that balances opposing forces. The Naked and Famous, created by Joaquín Simó in 2010, marries smoke, bitterness, herbal sweetness, and citrus in one equal-parts drink.

Creator: Joaquín Simó · Year created: 2010 · Base spirit: Mezcal · IBA status: Official cocktail · Recipe ratio: Equal parts (1:1:1:1)

Eight specs, one pattern: the recipe is deliberately simple, but the flavor outcome is complex.

The implication: the simplicity of the spec makes the drink easy to replicate, but the quality of each ingredient becomes critical.

What is a Naked and Famous cocktail?

How did it get its name?

The drink is named after the New Zealand band The Naked and Famous. According to the Death & Co Market (the bar’s official site), Simó was listening to the band while developing the recipe, and the name stuck. Whether he was a dedicated fan remains unclear, but the moniker fits the cocktail’s unadorned, “naked” presentation.

What are the key characteristics?

• Equal parts structure: Each ingredient is measured in identical proportions — typically 0.75 oz (22.5 ml) per component, as specified by the IBA World (official cocktail registry).
• Flavor profile: Smoky, bitter, herbal, and sour — a direct descendant of the Last Word and Paper Plane families, as noted by Death & Co Market.
• Glassware: Served in a chilled coupe glass, no ice, which concentrates the aromatics.

The pattern: by swapping gin for mezcal and green Chartreuse for Aperol and Yellow Chartreuse, the Naked and Famous creates a wholly new identity while honoring the equal-parts tradition.

The implication: this cocktail’s rise from a single bar to world recognition reflects a larger shift in cocktail culture toward agave spirits.

How do you make a Naked and Famous cocktail?

What ingredients do you need?

• Mezcal (espadín or any artisanal expression)
• Aperol (the bitter orange aperitivo)
• Yellow Chartreuse (the milder, sweeter sibling of Green Chartreuse)
• Fresh lime juice (bottled juice will throw off the balance)

All four are used in equal measure. The IBA World (official cocktail registry) calls for 22.5 ml of each, though many home recipes scale to 0.75 oz. Wine Enthusiast (lifestyle and spirits publication) also lists 3/4-ounce pours.

What is the step-by-step recipe?

1. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice.
2. Pour in 22.5 ml mezcal, 22.5 ml Aperol, 22.5 ml Yellow Chartreuse, and 22.5 ml fresh lime juice.
3. Shake vigorously for about 15 seconds.
4. Strain into a chilled coupe glass.
5. Garnish with a lime wheel (optional) or serve unadorned.

The shaking method is critical: Difford’s Guide (cocktail reference) emphasizes a fine-strain for a silky texture, while A Bar Above (cocktail resource) notes that the brief shake ensures proper dilution without over-watering the delicate balance.

The pattern: success hinges on ingredient quality, not technique complexity.

Where did the Naked and Famous cocktail originate?

Who created it?

The Naked and Famous was created by bartender Joaquín Simó in 2010 at Death & Co. in New York City. According to the Death & Co Market (the bar’s official site), Simó was inspired by the Last Word and the Division Bell, two other equal-parts cocktails. The drink quickly became a signature of the bar and a modern classic.

What bar popularized it?

Death & Co. is widely credited with launching the cocktail into the global spotlight. The bar’s reputation for innovative, balanced drinks gave the Naked and Famous instant credibility. Wikipedia (community-edited encyclopedia) reports that the IBA added it to the official list in 2020, cementing its status as a contemporary classic.

The catch: the exact year of IBA inclusion varies by source, but the 2020 date is the most commonly cited.

Timeline

• 2010: Joaquín Simó creates the Naked and Famous at Death & Co. in New York City (Death & Co Market).
• 2020: The International Bartenders Association adds the drink to its official cocktail list (Wikipedia).

Why this matters: in less than a decade, the Naked and Famous went from a single-bar recipe to a globally recognized standard — a rare trajectory for a modern cocktail.

What we know and what’s unclear

Confirmed facts

• Creator is Joaquín Simó (Death & Co Market)
• Ingredients and ratios are fixed (mezcal, Aperol, Yellow Chartreuse, lime juice in equal parts) (IBA World)
• IBA official cocktail status (IBA World)
• Originated at Death & Co. in New York (Death & Co Market)

What’s unclear

• Exact year of IBA inclusion (reportedly 2020, but not confirmed on the IBA site)
• Why the name was chosen (the band connection is documented, but Simó’s personal fandom is unconfirmed)
• Best mezcal brand for the drink (no consensus among experts)

The pattern: even well-documented cocktails have gray areas that invite further research.

Quotes from the creators

“The Naked and Famous is a riff on the Last Word and the Division Bell, both equal-parts cocktails. I wanted something that combined the smoke of mezcal with the bitterness of Aperol and the herbal sweetness of Yellow Chartreuse.”

— Joaquín Simó, via Death & Co. cocktail book (Death & Co Market)

“The Naked and Famous is listed as an official IBA cocktail, recognizing its place among the world’s great drinks.”

— IBA World (official cocktail registry)

For the home bartender seeking a dependable, conversation-starting cocktail, the choice is clear: memorize the equal-parts formula, choose a quality mezcal, and shake with confidence. The Naked and Famous delivers a smoky, complex sip that lives up to its name.

For a detailed breakdown of the ingredients and preparation, check out this Naked and Famous cocktail recipe from another source.

Frequently asked questions