Cocktail-makers choose their drink of summer: Six sippers they're loving right now and how to mix them up

The occasion of hot weather and hanging outdoors with pals calls for a toast with something special. And cocktails — especially when they're made to suit the season — fit the bill perfectly.

An ideal summer tipple should be refreshing and unfussy, according to the experts, and common traits include heaps of ice, bubbles and typically some sort of sour kick. You'll hear the terms "highball," "spritz," "swizzle" and "fizz" tossed around quite a bit. 

While there's nothing wrong with reaching for your go-to sipper, there's a reason we went out to seasoned drink-makers to ask, "What's your drink of summer?" They came back with concoctions worth calling out. From simple, signature twists on classic cocktails to a favourite from the West Indies, these drinks will no doubt serve as libation inspiration. 

Ready to mix it up? We've got six thirst-quenching drink ideas that the experts say are absolutely perfect for this particular moment in time. 

A trendy tequila tipple

"In general, I think anything brighter in flavour, served long and on the rocks, makes for a great summer drink," said James Grant, an award-winning bartender and owner of Old Gray Rabbit Bar & Beverage in Edmonton. 

The tequila-based Paloma is Grant's drink of choice this summer. "I'm a sucker for grapefruit, and it works so well with a crisp blanco tequila," he explained, drawing attention to the elegant simplicity of this cocktail that, aside from tequila and grapefruit soda, calls for just a little lime and salt, and that it be served up on the rocks. 

"You can dress it up a little, maybe with a spike of Aperol, but it really doesn't need it. Even in its most stripped-down form, the Paloma is a stone-cold classic," he said. "It makes me think of the beach, patios, vacationing in Mexico and late summer nights."  

A new twist on the traditional

Evelyn Chick, a Toronto-based hospitality expert and owner of Love of Cocktails, said something thirst-quenching and effervescent makes for an ideal summer cocktail, and that she's particularly fond of a fresh take on the Tom Collins at the moment.  

"[I've] been loving making a simple 'Fino Collins' based on the traditional specs of a Tom Collins," she said, referencing the classic cocktail made with gin, lemon juice, simple syrup and club soda. Her version uses fino sherry wine in place of gin. 

"The Fino Collins is a tall and refreshing cocktail with just the right amount of balance between pucker [from the citrus and] sweet. The fino sherry provides a touch of savoury, herbal, nutty quality to it," said Chick, who pointed out that the drink is also lower ABV.

An icon-inspired sipper

Lindsay Jones's summertime concoction was inspired by Dolly Parton and is aptly named the 9 to 5. "Big summer vibes for sure!" she said of the drink that includes a signature sage-and-sea-buckthorn cordial made in-house at The Ostrich Club in Halifax, where Jones is bar manager.

The 9 to 5 also features gin, Aperol and maraschino liqueur, shaken with fresh lemon juice and some smoky, umami-packed Bittered Sling Moondog Latin bitters. Jones serves it over ice in a clear coffee mug garnished with a bouquet of fresh sage. 

"It comes out bright orange with beautiful fruity-herbaceous aromatics, light and fresh on the palate," she explained. The Smoky Mountain Songbird would surely approve.

A Caribbean classic

Montreal bartender Kate Boushel's top pick for summer 2022 is the Queen's Park Swizzle, a libation that has all the appeal of frosty drinks worthy of imbibing on the beach.

"If you like mojitos, you'll love this minty dark rum swizzle that hails from the Queen's Park Hotel in Trinidad," said Boushel, who is also partner and director of beverage and education at Groupe Barroco. To make the drink, mix aged rum, lime juice, mint and a touch of Demerara sugar syrup or simple syrup over crushed ice, and finish with a good shake of Angostura bitters and more mint. 

"It's so simple yet packs such complexity," said Boushel, noting that you can customize the drink by changing the spirit or herbs to suit your tastes.  

Boushel recommends the Queen's Park Swizzle for anyone whose heatwave cocktail menu includes daiquiris and caipirinhas. "Even the Tom Collins- and gin-basil-smash-loving crowd and whisky sour fans can get on board with this classic," she added. "It's an excellent thirst-quencher. It's crisp, fresh and easy to whip up for your poolside get-together." 

A boozy take on a summer staple

Few beverages are as synonymous with summertime as iced tea and lemonade and, as one golf icon famously knew, they're wonderful combined. Chad Coombs's drink of the season is reminiscent of Arnold Palmer's go-to drink. 

"My pick for this summer is iced tea and gin combinations," said the Saskatoon-based bartender and cocktail consultant. "Toss in some citrus for an Arnold Palmer-style effect and you cannot go wrong." 

Coombs recommends making an iced tea using two unique varieties — like black tea and a fruity herbal option — for added depth. 

If you want to go the extra mile, he suggests spiking your iced tea with a tea-infused spirit. One of Coombs's favourite things to make during the warmer months is gin infused with rosemary and Lapsang souchong black tea. To infuse a 750-ml bottle of gin, he adds two long sprigs of rosemary and a teaspoon of loose-leaf tea, letting it sit for two hours before straining and enjoying. 

A fresh fruit-inspired blender drink

Summer and icy blender drinks go hand-in-hand, and Toronto-based bartender and Bacardi portfolio ambassador Caledonia Wright takes advantage of a seasonal favourite to create a farmers' market-inspired bellini. Wright chops and freezes Niagara peaches, then purées the frozen fruit. She stores the purée in a tub in her freezer throughout the summer. 

"When it comes time to make the drink, I simply add a scoop of frozen peach purée to my glass," said Wright, who then drizzles an ounce-and-a-half of orange vermouth around the purée before topping with prosecco. She calls the drink something of a slushy for adults. "It's playful yet refined, and I love that juxtaposition."

This drink is also low ABV, according to Wright, and versatile enough to serve in a plastic tumbler lakeside or in a fancy coupe at dinner. She also draws attention to the cocktail's pinky orange hue, which mimics an August sunset. "[It's] summer vacation in a glass."