9 Refreshing Cocktail Recipes for Your Memorial Day Weekend Festivities

Memorial Day Weekend has long been deemed the official ushering in of summer. It’s an extended weekend in which friends and families gather for cookouts, kickbacks or even a quick vacation. And, of course, if you’re of age, the cocktails may be flowing, too.

To help you celebrate over the course of your 3-day holiday, we’ve rounded up some of our favorite summer-inspired cocktail recipes—no matter your spirit of choice—that will have your friends and fam thinking you took a master bartender course. Don’t worry, your secret is safe with us. Happy sipping!

For the Gin Lovers

Bee’s Knees

Ingredients:

• 2 parts Silent Pool Gin
• 1 part Fresh Lemon Juice
• 1 part Honey Water
• Lemon to garnish
• Coupette or Nick & Nora

How to Make:

• Add all ingredients in a shaker with ice.
• Shake vigorously for 8 to 12 seconds.
• Double strain in a coupette glass.
• Garnish with a lemon.

Honey Water

Simply add the 1/2 cup of honey and 1/2 cup of water into a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the honey is dissolved. Allow to cool and transfer to an airtight container. The Honey Water will keep, refrigerated, for up to 1 month.

Lemon Spritz

Ingredients:

• 1 oz Empress 1908 Cucumber Lemon Gin 
• 1 oz Limoncello 
• .5 oz Lemon Juice
• Dry Sparkling Wine, to top 
• Soda Water, to top 
• Garnish: Lemon Slice

How to Make:

In a copa glass filled with ice, add gin, limoncello, and lemon juice and top with sparkling wine and a splash of soda water. Give a quick stir to combine and garnish with lemon slice. ​

For the Tequila Drinkers

The Rose Spritz

Ingredients:

• 1.5 oz Gran Coramino Cristalino
• .5 oz Pomegranate Juice
• .5 oz Lime juice
• .5 oz Agave
• 3 drops Rose water
• Sparkling Rosé
• Rose petal garnish (optional)

How to Make:

Combine all ingredients into a shaker except the Sparkling Rosé. Strain into a coupe and top with Sparkling Rosé. Garnish with a rose petal.

Watermelon Margarita

Ingredients:

• 2 parts Avión Reserva Cristalino
• 2 parts Fresh Lime Juice
• 2 parts Crushed Watermelon Slices
• 1 part Agave Nectar

How to Make:

Cut the watermelon flesh into small cubes and add it to your blender. Blend until smooth Next, take a shaker and add ice cubes followed by 2 oz of premium tequila Avión Silver, fresh lime juice, and the agave nectar. Shake vigorously for about 10-15 seconds. Then, strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer over your blended watermelon juice in a glass filled with ice cubes.Stir well to combine all the flavors. For an extra kick of flavor, you can also add some salt on the rim of your glass before pouring in the cocktail mixture. Garnish with watermelon slices.

Rum Lovers, These are For You!

Pain Killer

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ ounce Santa Ana
• ½ Ounce Ron del Barrilito 2 Stars
• 2 ounce pineapple juice
• 1 ounce coconut cream
• 1 ½ ounce Guava Juice
• Shaved ajonjoli (sesame seeds)

How to Make:

Mix all ingredients together. Strain over shaved ice in your favorite tiki glass.

The Drop-In

Ingredients:

• 2oz Pin Drop rum
• 1oz  simple syrup
• 1oz lime juice
• 8 pineapple chunks
• palm full of mint springs ( leaves)

How to Make:

Muddle pineapple chunks, add mint springs, add simple syrup, add lime juice, add Pin Drop rum. Put all ingredients together into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake and strain over ice in a rock glass. Decorate with pineapple chunks and mint leaves.

Bourbon cocktails for Memorial Day Weekend

The James “Soup” Perkins

Ingredients:

• 1.5 ounces Old Hillside Rye
• 0.75 ounces Sweet Vermouth
• 1 Orange Peel
• 5 dashes Peychaud Bitters
• Garnish with an orange twist and a skewered brandied cherry.

How to Make:

Assemble ingredients in a shaker tin without ice. Shake. Add ice and shake for 40 seconds. Strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with an orange twist and a skewered brandied cherry.

Martell Mango Margarita

Ingredients:

• 2 oz Martell Blue Swift
• .75 oz Mango puree
• 0.5 oz Agave ectar
• 1 oz  Lime juice

How to Make:

Combine Martell Blue Swift, mango puree, agave nectar, and lime juice in a shaker and shake well. Pour in cocktail glass with rocks. Garnish with lime peel spiral.

Options for the Vodka Lovers

Grand Marnier Espresso Martini

Ingredients:

• 1 oz Skyy Vodka
• 0.75 oz Grand Marnier Cordon Rouge
• 0.25 oz Averna 
• 0.25 oz Cinnamon Syrup 
• 1 Espresso Shot (1.5 oz)
• *Cinnamon Syrup: Bring to a boil 500 gr of white, 500 gr of water with 3 cinnamon sticks)

How to Make:

Shake all the ingredients together with ice. Served straight up in a coupe glass.