Summer Sips: 7 Cocktails From Top Mixologists

Frankie Solarik of BarChef in Toronto puts a twist on a classic seasonal cocktail with his Daiquiri Adaptation. Served in a coconut, the tropical-inspired drink combines spiced rum, fresh lime and pineapple juices, maraschino liqueur, and house-made almond orgeat syrup. Solarik dresses the drink’s service piece with coconut-water snow, toasted coconut, lime and orange rinds, maraschino fluid gel, and rum and vanilla brunoise with edible flower petals.

Los Angeles mixology company Pharmacie offers a chocolatey take on a mint julep. Called the Chocolate Mint Julep, the cocktail contains bourbon and mint syrup poured over ice with six dashes of chocolate bitters, plus a mint leaf garnish.

For post-meeting crowds in the summertime, beverage director Matt Tocco of Merchants restaurant in Nashville, which is within walking distance of the city’s convention center, serves a Pimm’s Cup made with Pimm’s No. 1 liqueur, Pennington’s Strawberry Rye Whiskey, lime, cucumber, mint, and soda water.

Merchants’ fruity Blinker is made with George Dickel Rye Whiskey, St. George Raspberry Liqueur, lemon, simple syrup, and soda water.

The Chilled Strawberry Ontario is another of BarChef’s summer offerings. Solarik describes the cocktail as a “strawberry-infused gin chilled soup,” made with roasted-black-pepper sugar, lemon and chamomile brunoise, lavender-infused maraschino and coconut fluid gel, and balsamic-lavender syrup that’s turned into a gel and presented in a ribbon shape.

Ken Martin, in-house ­mixologist at Privateer Rum in Ipswich, Massachusetts, makes a strawberry-laced cocktail for the summer. Called the Strawberry Cobbler, the drink contains Privateer Rum, fresh lime juice, and simple syrup, and is served with fresh mint leaves.

Martin also prepares another warm-weather libation called the Raspberry Bramble, which includes Privateer Rum, fresh lime juice, simple syrup, St. Germain liqueur, sparkling wine, and raspberries.