The Best Classic Cocktails To Drink As Summer Winds Down, According To Bartenders

Summer is almost over. We understand that statement might be jarring for some people. Fear not, you still have plenty of time to enjoy classic, summery cocktails. In fact, while it might seem like the end of August means the end of summer, you actually have until September 21st to guarantee you’ll never get scurvy from ingesting more lime juice than you could possibly ever need while sipping gin gimlets and more sodium than your doctor is comfortable with while enjoying margaritas adorned with salted rims.

In essence, there’s more than enough time to sip on a multitude of summery cocktails. But with a seemingly endless list of refreshing cocktails to choose from, how do you narrow down the list to sippers worth imbibing during summer’s final days?

Javier Pastrana, food and beverage director at YOTEL in Miami has a pretty good idea of where to start. And it’s much simpler than you’d think.

“The best cocktail for summer months is one that is refreshing, cold, and helps beat the heat,” he says.

To find the mixed drinks that fit this criterion, we asked the folks who bide their time behind the bar for help. We turned to a few well-known bartenders for their thoughts on the best classic cocktails to drink as summer finally winds down. Keep reading to see all of their picks and even a simple recipe for each.

Tom Collins

Alex Barbatsis, bartender at The Whistler in Chicago

In my opinion, it’s a Tom Collins. Sure, you can have a margarita and it will be great. But to me having a Tom Collins during the summer makes everything come together. The combination of lemon and gin just feels right in the summertime, and it’s packed with flavor. It’s also a great one to make a lighter version of by adding more club soda to it.

Ingredients:

2 oz. gin
1 oz. fresh lemon juice
.5 oz. simple syrup
Ice
Top with club soda
Lemon wheel

Preparation:

In an ice-filled Collins glass, add gin, fresh lemon juice, and simple syrup. Add more ice and top with club soda. Stir and add a lemon wheel garnish.

Whiskey Sour

Jared Bailey, Bar Manager at Soho Cigar Bar in New York City

A Whiskey Sour — made with strong rye — cannot be beaten when the heat is getting to you. It’s boozy, sweet, slightly tart, and highly refreshing. What’s not to love during the summer months?

Ingredients:

2 oz. rye whiskey
.75 oz. fresh lemon juice
.5 oz. simple syrup
1 oz. egg white (some say this is optional)
Ice

Preparation:

Add whiskey, lemon juice, egg white, and simple syrup to an ice-filled shaker. Shake vigorously. Strain into a rocks glass.

Gin Rickey

Deke Dunn, Bar and Creative Director at Allegory in Washington, DC

You can’t beat the Gin Rickey. The Gin Rickey is the official cocktail of Washington, DC, and we like to call it “air conditioning in a glass.” It’s super simple, light, refreshing, and low in sugar. Gin, lime, and soda — that’s it!

Ingredients:

2 oz. gin
.5 ounces lime juice
Ice
Soda water topper
Lime wheel

Preparation:

Stir gin and lime juice in an ice-filled highball glass. Top with soda water. Garnish with a lime wheel.

Paloma

Cristhian Rodriguez, Bar Director at elNico’s in Brooklyn, New York

The Paloma is tough to beat during the summer months. It’s bright, effervescent, thirst-quenching, and easy to pair with fresh fruit juices and/or combinations of any agave spirits. I have fun playing with different recipes.

Ingredients:

2 oz. blanco tequila
2 oz. fresh squeezed grapefruit juice
.5 oz simple syrup
Ice
Soda water topper

Preparation:

Add tequila, simple syrup, and grapefruit juice to an ice-filled glass. Stir. Top with soda water. Garnish with a slice of grapefruit.

Whiskey Highball

Simon Sebbah, Beverage Director at Saint Theo’s in New York City

If you want something classic, a refreshing whiskey highball is what you should aim for. It can be made with any spirit really (but whiskey works best) with soda water combined with citrus and herbs such as lemon, orange, mandarin, rosemary, sage, or mint. Or keep it simple with just whiskey and soda water.

Ingredients:

2 oz. whiskey of choice
4 oz. soda water
Ice
Lemon wedge

Preparation:

Add whiskey and soda water to an ice-filled highball glass. Stir and garnish with a lemon wedge.

Daiquiri

Peter James Deluca, Bar Manager at Tavern on the Green in New York City

The best classic cocktail for the summer months is a Daiquiri. It’s a classic cocktail that has been around forever and you can never go wrong with it. It’s simple to make with white rum, lime, and simple syrup. Not only is it easy to make, but it tastes great when done right.

Ingredients:

1.5 oz. white rum
1 oz. lime juice
.5 oz. simple syrup
Ice

Preparation:

Add rum, lime juice, and simple syrup to an ice-filled shaker. Shake vigorously. Strain in a cocktail glass and enjoy.

Margarita

Pedro Pozo, Beverage Director of Grupo Bakan in Miami

In the heat of summer, the margarita is queen. The versatility and variety of flavors in different agaves allow for a very fresh and balanced cocktail. The addition of Cointreau keeps the citrus balance between orange and fresh lime while allowing the vegetable earthy notes of agave to still shine.

Ingredients:

2 oz. blanco tequila
.5 oz. triple sec
1 oz. fresh lime juice
Ice
Pinch of salt
Lime wheel garnish

Preparation:

Add tequila, triple sec, a pinch of salt, and lime juice to an ice-filled shaker. Shake and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a lime wheel. The salted rim is optional but unnecessary if you add a pinch to the actual cocktail.

Negroni

Jimmy Hleihil, Culinary and Beverage Director at Branja in Miami

My personal favorite summer cocktail is a classic well-made Negroni. The citrusy aromas and the lightness of the gin make this cocktail the perfect way to cool off on a hot day. It is technically a very classic cocktail. The flavor profile makes it explode on the taste buds while being cool enough without compromising the buzz.

Ingredients:

1 oz. gin
1 oz. Campari
1 oz. sweet red vermouth
Ice
Orange peel garnish

Preparation:

Add gin, Campari, and vermouth to an ice-filled glass. Stir to combine. Add an orange peel garnish.

Corpse Reviver #2

Mercedes Cowper, Certified Sommelier and Bar Manager at Round Robin Bar in Washington, DC

A Corpse Reviver #2 is a beautiful cocktail on a hot (humid) summer day. The blend of gin, Lillet Blanc, orange liqueur, and lemon gives it a fresh and zesty aroma, while the gin helps ground the flavor profile with herbs and botanicals. Serve very well chilled and double strained for the perfect summer go-to.

Ingredients:

1 oz. London dry gin
1 oz. Lillet Blanc
1 oz. triple sec
1 oz. fresh lemon juice
Dash of absinthe
Ice
Lemon peel garnish

Preparation:

Add gin, Lillet, triple sec, lemon juice, and absinthe to an ice-filled shaker. Shake and strain into a cocktail glass. Add a lemon peel for garnish.

Last Word

Megan Anderson, General Manager at Lazia in Kansas City

The best classic cocktail for the summer is the Last Word, which is a gin-based cocktail that is light and refreshing. The Maraschino Liqueur gives it a nice sweetness without making it overly sweet and sour.

Ingredients: