Naked and Famous

Bartender Joaquín Simówas already tinkering with a variation on the Last Word cocktail when he first sampled aPaper Planeat Milk & Honey. The Sam Ross creation featured equal parts bourbon, Aperol, lemon juice, and Amaro Nonino, and was itself a riff on theLast Word.

“Trying the Paper Plane for the first time made me rethink the possible candidates for a maraschino liqueur substitute, as I had been stuck in an initial rut of single-flavor liqueurs—curaçao, gentian, et cetera,” Simó explained. “I turned my attention to more complex liqueurs likeAperol, Campari, Pimm’s, Cynar, and Montenegro. The Aperol–yellow Chartreuse marriage was a big hit, and from there, it was just finding the right mezcal.”

The Naked and Famous, which debuted in 2011, has done well by its mentor drink. It is by far the most famous variation on the Paper Plane.

If you can, please use Del Maguey Chichicapa in this cocktail. It is the original mezcal used in the recipe. Though on the expensive side, it makes a big difference in the taste of the drink.

This recipe was excerpted from ‘Modern Classic Cocktails’ by Robert Simonson. Buy the full book onAmazon.