The Drinks We’re Obsessed With Right Now

As our extensive archive might suggest, we try a lot of cocktails. We regularly return to the classics (and the modern classics), pick up new favorites from around the world and throw in the occasional bartending project here and there. But it takes something special—a novel ingredient, an unbeatable flavor combination, a recipe that’s truly more than the sum of its parts—to stand out. Only a select few can become obsessions.

The Yellow, a lesser-known French classic, is the perfect example. “On paper, there is nothing extraordinary about this drink—four off-the-shelf ingredients shaken together in equal parts—but like every memorable cocktail does, it manages to be more than just that,” writes former executive editor Chloe Frechette. She describes the mix of gin, yellow Chartreuse, Suze and lemon as “like the Last Word—but better.”

Another obsession-worthy cocktail makes the case for bitter, brooding drinking in the warmer months. Of the Amaro Daiquiri, Punch contributor Courtney Iseman writes, “It’s bold, it’s refreshing and it’s versatile. I’ll gladly take one (or make one) for long afternoons, post-dinner drinking or late nights all summer long.”

Finally, while we’re always in search of easy, minimal-effort drinks, some recipes prove that a little extra prep can go a long way. For the Banana Hammock, a banana-infused tequila and MSG solution add a tropical, savory note that, as managing editor Jess Mayhugh puts it, “transforms the drink from just another Margarita riff to one whose complex, savory layers continue to build with every sip.”