The Cocktail College Podcast: The Naked & Famous

“Cocktail College” is brought to you by Ketel One Vodka. Certain brands out there, certain vodka brands, want you to believe that these spirits should be flavorless and odorless. And they achieve this profile through multiple runs of distillation in column stills. They actually celebrate this thing; they market it. But you’re a discerning drinker, “Cocktail College” listener, aren’t you? And you know that vodka should have character, subtle character, and that arrives from the base ingredient and the production technique. In the case of Ketel One, we’re talking about a wheat base, made using a blend or a mix of pot and column still distillation. And what you get there is character, but subtle character, so that it’s going to enhance but never overpower your favorite vodka cocktails, your Matinis, your Cosmos. Ketel One stands so firmly behind this production technique that on every single bottle there’s an invitation for you, the drinker, to visit them at their Netherlands distillery. And hey, why wouldn’t they? They’ve only got 330 years of family distilling experience right there. So it’s understandable that they back themselves, and you should back them, too, listener. You should pick up a bottle and head to www.ketelone.com to learn more. Please Drink Responsibly. KETEL ONE Vodka. Distilled from Grain. 40% Alc./Vol. Double Eagle Brands, B.V. Imported by Ketel One USA, Aliso Viejo, CA

When we consider many of the world’s most famous cocktails, it’s impossible to truly understand what was happening at the time of their creation. Was the Martini indeed an evolution of the Manhattan? Was there a single “a-ha” moment attributable to one individual? And what about the Corpse Reviver #2? What did it taste like with the OG Kina Lillet, not to mention the lemons bartenders had access to at the time? These are questions for which, sadly, we will likely never have answers.

That could be why so many of us are equally drawn to the era of modern classics. In many instances, the ingredients remain the same and their creators are still with us. The creation stories are there to grasp within the reach of living memory, though we may recall them through the slightly blurry lens that accompanies distilled spirits and any tale worth telling.

Today, we’re afforded one such opportunity as returning friend of the show, Joaquín Simó, joins us to discuss not only his most famous creation but one of the greatest and most well-known cocktails of the modern classics era: the Naked & Famous. Based on the classic 4 x ¾ ounce Last Word formula, the N&F quickly became a favorite among drinkers and bartenders looking to fulfill dealer’s choice orders for “refreshing, agave-spirits-based drinks.” Tune in for more.