With sweltering heat finally indicating that summer is here, it’s time to cool off. And we all know the best way to do that is with a nice cold cocktail in hand. Here are some of our favorite libations to enjoy all summer long:
Red, White, and Blue Peak Sangria
1.5 oz Stranahan’s Blue Peak
.75 oz Amber Vermouth
.25 guava puree
Sparkling apple cider
Orange slices
Combine Stranahan’s Blue Peak, Amber Vermouth and Guava Puree in goblet glass over ice. Top with dry sparkling apple cider and garnish with orange half slices.
Shop ingredients: Red, White, and Blue Peak Sangria 
Zacapa Peach Julep
1 ¼ oz Zacapa 23 Rum
1/2 oz (1 tablespoon) peach liqueur, peach brandy, or peach schnapps
Peach Slice for Garnish
Basil and mint
In a Julep cup or metal cup add 2 Basil and 4 mint leaves with peach liqueur, gently press the herbs with a muddler. Add Zacapa No 23. Rum, and a little crushed ice, stir gently. Pack the rest of the cup tightly with crushed ice. Stir more until the cup is frosted on the outside. Top with more crushed ice to form an ice dome. Garnish with peach slice and Basil.
Shop ingredients: Zacapa Peach Julep
Hazelnut Espresso Martini
½ part Frangelico
1 part Skyy Vodka
1 ½ part Cold Brew or Espresso
¼ part Simple Syrup
Pour over ice, shake, and strain into a coupe or martini glass. Garnish with 3 whole espresso beans (optional).
Shop ingredients: Hazelnut Espresso Martini
Pineapple Punch Bowl (Courtesy of Shel Buhler, Brand Director Aparium Hotels, for Percheron)
8 oz. Espolon Tequila
4 oz. Cocchi Americano
4 oz. Campari
8 oz. Mango Syrup
6 oz. Lime Juice
7.5 oz. Water
16 dashes Hellfire Bitters
Combine all ingredients in a Vitamix and blend for smooth consistency. Add 4″ x 6″ block of ice to the Pineapple Punch Bowl and cover completely with crushed ice before adding Punch on top. Garnish: Fresh cut lime wheels. Yields 5-6 cocktails.
Shop ingredients: Pineapple Punch Bowl
Spiked Ginger Mint Lemonade
2 oz. Redmont Vodka
3/4 oz. ginger-mint syrup
3/4 oz. lemon juice
mint leaves
Combine vodka, lemon juice, and ginger-mint syrup. Pour into ice-filled glasses and garnish with lemon wheels and mint leaves.
Shop ingredients: Spiked Ginger Mint Lemonade
Paloma Select
1 1/2 parts Milagro Select Silver
½ part agave nectar
1 part pink grapefruit juice
½ part fresh lime juice
3 parts sparkling water
1 pink grapefruit wedge
Pour all ingredients, except sparkling water, into a Boston shaker with ice. Shake vigorously and strain into a highball glass with fresh ice. Top with sparkling water. Garnish with speared grapefruit wedge.
Shop ingredients: Paloma Select
Fizzy Flowers (Courtesy of Beefeater Gin)
2 parts Beefeater
2 parts strawberry lemonade
3 parts elderflower tonic
Fill glass with dried flower ice cubes. Fill with ingredients. Gently stir. Enjoy!
Shop ingredients: Fizzy Flower
Summer Solstice Old Fashioned
2 oz Stranahan’s Blue Peak
.5 pineapple liqueur
.25 oz maple syrup
2 dashes chili bitters
Orange twist (discard)
Dried pineapple
Sprinkle of cayenne
Stir Stranahan’s Blue peak, pineapple liqueur, maple syrup, chili bitters, and orange twist in glass over a large ice cube. Garnish with dried pineapple and a sprinkle of cayenne.
Shop ingredients: Summer Solstice Old Fashioned
Strawberry Cucumber Mana Fresca (Courtesy of Teremana Tequila)
1 cup Teremana Blanco
1 cup Water
1 cup Cucumber, peeled and sliced
1 cup Strawberry, peeled and sliced
1/4 cup Lime Juice
1/2 cup Sugar
Blend and strain, garnish with strawberry. Yields 4-6 Cocktails.
Shop ingredients: Strawberry Cucumber Mana Fresca
ITALICUS Spritz (Created by ITALICUS Rosolio di Bergamotto)
1 part ITALICUS Rosolio di Bergamotto
2 parts Prosecco (or Champagne)
Serve in a tumbler glass with cubed ice and garnish with olives.
Shop ingredients: Italicus Spritz
The Bee’s Freeze (Available at Gin Lane, Montpelier, VT)
2 oz. Barr Hill Gin
1.5 oz. Raw honey syrup (2 parts raw honey : 1 part hot water)
1.5 oz. Fresh lemon juice
1 cup of ice
Blend all together and enjoy.
Shop ingredients: The Bee’s Freeze
Hendrick’s Cucumber Lemonade (Courtesy of Hendrick’s Gin)
1 part Hendrick’s Gin
1 part lemon juice
1 part simple syrup
3 parts soda water
Cucumber slices, thinly sliced
Combine all ingredients in a highball filled with cubed ice. Lightly stir and serve. Garnish with 3 thinly sliced rounds of cucumber.
Shop ingredients: Hendrick’s Cucumber Lemonade
Cherry Vanilla Cola Float (Courtesy of Captain Morgan)
1.5 oz Captain Morgan Cherry Vanilla
3 oz Cola
1 Scoop Vanilla Ice Cream
Garnish with Cherries
Pour Captain Morgan Cherry Vanilla Spiced Rum and cola into a tall glass. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. Top off with cola as desired. Garnish with a cherry.
Shop ingredients: Cherry Vanilla Cola Float
Bulleit Bourbon Swizzle
1.3 oz. Bulleit Bourbon
1 oz. Lemon Juice
0.75 oz. Simple Syrup
0.25 oz. Ginger Syrup
3 Mint Sprigs (take off leaves, remove stems)
3 Dashes Aromatic Bitters
3 Dashes Peychaud’s Bitters
Dry shake, pour into a highball glass, top with ice and swizzle, keeping the mint on the bottom and top with more crushed ice. Garnish with three dashes each of aromatics and Peychaud’s bitters, a mint sprig, and candied ginger. Enjoy!
Shop ingredients: Bulleit Bourbon Swizzle
Saiten Sangria (Courtesy of iichiko Shochu)
9 oz iichiko Saiten
9 oz Red Wine
6 oz Orange Juice
6 oz Pineapple Juice
3 oz Simple Syrup
Muddled Berries
Batch sangria with seasonal fruits and pour over ice in glass pitcher. Garnish with seasonal fruits. Yields 4-6 Glasses.
Shop ingredients: Saiten Sangria
Crown Peach Lemon Slushy
3 fresh peaches
3 oz Crown Royal Peach
One (1) 12 oz frozen lemonade concentrate
24 oz water
Blend in a blender till smooth! Serves two.
Shop ingredients: Crown Peach Lemon Slushy
Key Lime Martini
1 1/2 oz. Redmont Vodka
1/2 oz. key lime juice
1/2 oz. cream of coconut
1/2 oz. simple syrup
Combine all ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake until chilled and strain into a double rocks glass with cracked ice. Garnish with lime wheel and crushed graham crackers.
Shop ingredients: Key Lime Martini
Kástra Spritz (Created by Kástra Elión)
1.5 oz. Kástra Elión Vodka
1 oz. Aperol
4 oz. Fever-Tree Elderflower Tonic or Mediterranean Tonic
4 oz. Sparkling wine
Build on balloon glass, stir, garnish with lemon and orange twist. Oregano sprig as a stir (optional).
Shop ingredients: Kástra Spritz
Garden Party Punch (by Natalie Migliarini (@BeautifulBooze))
2 bottles Korbel Brut Rośe
1 cup lime juice
2 cups hibiscus tea
¾ cup honey syrup
Garnish: edible flowers and lime slices
Mix everything in a punch bowl. Add ice. Garnish with edible flowers and lime slices. Yield: 25 servings.
Shop ingredients: Garden Party Punch
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