Naked and Famous
Equal parts mezcal, yellow Chartreuse, Aperol, and lime juice — a 2011 modern equal-parts cocktail by Joaquín Simó.
The Naked and Famous is an equal-parts modern cocktail created by Joaquín Simó at Death & Co in New York City in 2011, combining mezcal, yellow Chartreuse, Aperol, and fresh lime juice. It draws structural inspiration from the Last Word and Paper Plane equal-parts template, substituting mezcal for spirit-base and yellow Chartreuse for herbal modifier. The name references the LCD Soundsystem song 'Drunk Girls' lyric 'naked and famous.' The use of mezcal introduces smoke from the agave roasting process as a distinctive aromatic dimension, contrasting with Aperol's citrus-bitter and Chartreuse's herbal sweetness.
Quick facts
- Type
- Modern Recipe
- Base spirits
- mezcal, yellow chartreuse, aperol
- Era
- 2011–present
- Origin
- New York City, United States
- Glass
- coupe
- IBA listed
- No
Death & Co and the Equal-Parts Lineage
Death & Co, opened by David Kaplan on East 6th Street in Manhattan in 2007, became one of the most influential craft cocktail bars of the 2000s–2010s. Joaquín Simó joined as a bartender in 2008 and worked there through 2012. The Naked and Famous reflects the bar's approach of drawing explicitly on historical cocktail templates — in this case, the Last Word's equal-parts structure — while updating ingredients to reflect contemporary craft spirit availability. Yellow Chartreuse (sweeter, lower proof than green at 40% ABV) was selected because its milder character better balanced the smoky mezcal base; green Chartreuse's 55% ABV would overwhelm the other components.
Mezcal's Smoke and Agave Character
Mezcal is a distilled spirit produced from cooked agave hearts (piñas) in Oaxaca and other Mexican states. The distinctive smoky character comes from roasting the agave piñas in earthen pits lined with wood coals for 3–8 days before crushing and fermentation. This process imparts phenolic smoke compounds to the agave sugars that carry through distillation. Espadin (Agave angustifolia) is the most common agave variety for mezcal production, producing medium-bodied mezcal with characteristic green-smoke and tropical-fruit notes. In the Naked and Famous, the mezcal's smoke interacts with Aperol's orange-bitter and Chartreuse's herbal sweetness, creating an unusual contrast between citrus-fresh and smoke-earthen elements.
Sources & further reading (1)
- encyclopedia — accessed 2026-05-08
Frequently asked questions
Why is yellow Chartreuse used rather than green Chartreuse?
Yellow Chartreuse (40% ABV) has lower proof and a sweeter, more honeyed flavour profile than green Chartreuse (55% ABV). In the Naked and Famous, the mezcal base already contributes significant intensity from smoke and agave character. Using green Chartreuse's higher proof and more intensely herbal flavour would overpower the drink. Yellow Chartreuse provides the herbal sweetness that the formula requires while allowing the mezcal to remain perceptible. The choice demonstrates deliberate formula calibration.
How does the Naked and Famous differ from a Last Word with mezcal?
A Last Word substituted with mezcal would use green Chartreuse, maraschino, and lime — three modifiers with high-intensity flavours (intensely herbal, cherry-almond, and citrus). The Naked and Famous replaces maraschino with Aperol, shifting from cherry-almond sweetness to bitter-orange character, and uses yellow Chartreuse for lower proof. The resulting drink has a drier, more bitter character and less almond-cherry sweetness, which better suits the mezcal base.