Summer in a Glass: 6 Unique Craft Cocktails to Sip All Season

This article is a part of Classic Summer Drinks Week, a week of content celebrating the arrival of summer. With its tank-top weather and long days, Summer can be one of the best seasons of the year. However, the scorching heat can make it tough to spend your days outside — even if you want to bathe in the sunlight before the cooler months confine you to the indoors. A refreshing, ice-cold drink can be of great assistance when it comes to bearing the sun rays. That’s why, from July 7–11, we’re celebrating Classic Summer Drinks Week with a series of recipes, recommendations, tips & tricks to help you beat the heat. Check out more Classic Summer Drinks Week content here!

Summer can offer more than a standard spritz or seltzer. It’s the season to sip boldly and trade the expected for something crafted, colorful, and full of character. Whether you’re lounging poolside, hosting a backyard get-together, or simply looking to shake up your usual drink rotation, these unique summer craft cocktails are anything but ordinary. From tropical riffs and garden-fresh spritz to dessert-inspired indulgences, each one tells a story in every sip. Here are our most creative pours, ready to refresh and impress this season.

Hummingbird Cake

This Southern-inspired rum cocktail riffs on the classic cake with notes of banana, pineapple, and pecan—sweet, spiced, and summer-party ready. (Photo: Jessica Gleman)

Inspired by the beloved Southern dessert — with roots that trace back to Jamaica — the Hummingbird Cake cocktail is a tropical indulgence with a spiced kick, perfect for summer sipping. The original cake, dubbed the Doctor Bird Cake, was rich with banana and pineapple, and made its way from the Caribbean to Southern tables in the 1970s. This cocktail brings that cross-cultural sweetness full circle. A duo of Jamaican and spiced rums adds warmth and depth, while banana oleo saccharum lends a silky richness. Sweet pineapple juice ties it all together, and a crushed pecan rim offers a nutty crunch that nods to the cake’s signature topping. It’s equal parts nostalgic and refreshing, ideal for backyard brunches or golden hour toasts.

Ingredients

• 1 oz Jamaican rum (Myer’s Dark Rum recommended)
• ¾ oz spiced rum (Kraken Gold Spiced Rum recommended)
• 2 oz pineapple juice
• ¾ oz banana oleo saccharum (recipe below)
• Garnish: crushed pecan rim

Directions

First, make the crushed pecan rim by combining about 10 pecans with a tablespoon of sugar and a teaspoon of cinnamon and crushing them together. Then, rim a chilled coupe glass with honey and dip into the crushed pecan sugar. Combine all the liquid ingredients into a shaker with ice and shake until chilled. Strain into the glass and serve.

Banana Oleo Saccharum Recipe

Oleo saccharum, which translates to “oil sugar” in Latin, is a syrup made from the oils of fruit peels (usually citrus) and sugar. In this case, we are using banana peels to make a supercharged banana flavored syrup.

Ingredients

• 250 grams banana peels (around 2 peels)
• 250 grams sugar

Directions

Combine equal parts banana peels to sugar in a sealed container and leave to macerate for 24-48 hours. Strain the liquid and bottle, then refrigerate.

Pandan Express

This lush riff on a mojito blends pandan liqueur and Thai basil into a tall, herbal refresher built for summer’s hottest days. (Photo: Jessica Gleman)

The Pandan Express is a bright, herbaceous escape in a glass. This is a tropical riff on the classic mojito that channels Southeast Asian flavors into a cocktail tailor-made for summer. The grassy sweetness of pandan liqueur meets crisp white rum, creating a lush, aromatic base. Fresh thai basil and lemongrass add a vibrant, botanical lift, while lime juice and a splash of soda water keep it zesty and effervescent. It’s a garden party in cocktail form, perfect for poolside lounging or pairing with spicy grilled fare.

Ingredients

• 1 oz pandan liqueur (Kota Pandan Liqueur recommended)
• 1 oz white rum (Coconut Cartel Blanco recommended)
• ¾ oz lime juice
• 1 oz simple syrup
• 8-10 Thai basil leaves
• 1 inch piece of lemongrass
• 4-6 ounces of soda water
• Garnish: Thai basil bunch

Directions

Muddle the lemongrass and Thai basil in a tall highball glass and then fill with ice. Add the spirits, lime juice and simple syrup into a shaker with ice. Shake to combine and pour over the muddled herbs. Top with soda water and lightly stir with a bar spoon. Garnish with a sprig of Thai basil.

We Demand a Shrubbery

Blackberry, balsamic, and botanicals come together in this fruity, complex gin cocktail. (Photo: Jessica Gleman)

Playful in name but sophisticated in flavor, We Demand a Shrubbery is a bold, botanical refresher that leans into summer’s bounty of berries. Gin provides a crisp, herbaceous foundation, while a home-made blackberry balsamic shrub brings tangy depth and jammy fruit notes with just the right amount of acidity. A splash of soda water lifts the drink into bright, sparkling easy-drinking territory. A go-to for anyone who likes their cocktails with a little drama and a lot of flavor and medium effort.

Ingredients

• 1 ½ oz gin (Holistic Spirits Harmony Gin recommended)
• 1 oz blackberry balsamic shrub (recipe below)
• 3-4 oz soda water
• Garnish: mint sprig speared blackberry

Directions

Combine the shrub and gin in a rocks glass with ice and top with soda water. Garnish with a blackberry speared with a mint sprig for herbal aromatic addition.

Blackberry Balsamic Shrub Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 cup blackberries
• 1 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 cup honey

Directions

For directions on how to make a shrub, check out our guide How to Make Shrubs.

Coconut Clouds

This whipped coconut cocktail layers vodka, coffee liqueur, and dalgona foam for a creamy, spirited take on your favorite iced brew. (Photo: Pexels/Rahime Gül)

Coconut Clouds is where island vibes meet café culture — a creamy, caffeine-kissed creation that’s equal parts indulgent and energizing. Inspired by the dalgona coffee trend, this boozy version takes vodka and coffee liqueur to form a smooth, spirited base, while chilled coconut milk adds a tropical creaminess that’s impossible to resist. Topped with a cloud of whipped dalgona coffee — made from instant coffee, sugar and hot water — it’s a show-stopping sipper that’s as good at brunch as it is after dark. Think of it as your favorite iced coffee turned cocktail, with a sun-soaked twist.

Ingredients

• 1 ½ oz vodka (Reyka Small Batch Vodka recommended)
• 1 oz coffee liqueur (Mr.Black recommended)
• 6 oz coconut milk
• 2 tbsp instant coffee
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp hot water
• Garnish (optional): toasted coconut or a sprinkle of cocoa.

Directions

Add the coffee, sugar and boiling water in a bowl, and then whip until fluffy using a hand whisk or frother (this should take about two minutes). Set the fluffy coffee aside. Next, add the coffee liqueur, vodka and coconut milk to a shaker with ice. Shake until chilled and pour into glass with ice. Then spoon the whipped coffee on top. Garnish with toasted coconut to bring back the tropical vibes, or add a dusting of cocoa powder.

Steel Magnolia

This peach sweet tea sipper takes the old fashioned to warmer, sweeter places. (Photo: Unsplash/Dina Makhmutova)

The Steel Magnolia is a sultry, slow-sipping Southern charmer that captures the essence of summer in every pour. This cocktail drinks like an Old Fashioned but has all the charm of a peach sweet tea. The house-made sweet tea syrup and peach bitters pair well with many different whiskeys, but particularly bourbon or rye.

Ingredients

• 2 oz whiskey (SirDavis American Rye Whisky recommended)
• ½ oz sweet tea simple syrup (recipe below)
• 3-4 dashes Peach bitters
• Garnish: peach slice

Directions

Add whiskey, sweet tea syrup and peach bitters into a rocks glass with a large ice cube. Then, stir until chilled for about 20-30 seconds. Garnish with a slice of peach.

Sweet Tea Syrup Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 bag tea (black tea recommended)
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup sugar

Directions

First, make a batch of tea by adding 1 tea bag to 1 cup of boiling water and let steep for about 5 minutes (or the recommended time for the selected tea). Then, remove the tea bag and add sugar to the tea and stir until the sugar is dissolved.

Fresa del Sol

Strawberry-infused tequila, limoncello and sparkling rosé come together in a bright, refreshing pour. (Photo: Jessica Gleman)

Don’t let the small number of ingredients fool you, this is a deliciously nuanced cocktail. The strawberry-infused tequila and Limoncello add the perfect amount of fruitiness without adding too much sweetness. Topped with a generous pour of sparkling rosé, it’s a bubbly, blush-toned beauty that captures peak summer in a single glass.

Ingredients

• 1 oz strawberry-infused tequila (LALO Tequila Blanco recommended) (recipe below)
• ¾ oz limoncello or lemon liqueur
• 3 oz sparkling rosé
• 1 oz soda water
• Garnish: lemon wheels and strawberry slices

Directions

Add the tequila and limoncello to a wine glass filled with ice. Top with sparkling rosé and a splash of soda water. Garnish with lemon and strawberry slices for added visuals.

Strawberrry-infused Tequila Recipe

Ingredients

• ½ cup freeze-dried strawberries (unsweetened)
• 325ml blanco or reposado tequila (blanco is brighter; reposado adds depth)

Directions

Combine the freeze-dried strawberries and tequila in an airtight container or large mason jar. Cover and let sit at room temperature for 4-6 hours and then strain with a fine mesh strainer. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 months.