The Three Cocktails You Should Drink This Memorial Day

We poll local bartenders on the perfect drinks to kick off the summer.

By Lina Canney, Danielle Gibson, and Alex Heigl

Christian
MercBar
151 Mercer St., New York, NY

What's the best drink for the summer?
All of our cocktails are named after Beatles songs. The drink I think you should be drinking now that the weather's getting nice is called "Across the Universe." It's our take on a margarita, and the reason it's special is that it's made with fresh watermelon and jalapeno tequila. It's one of our most popular drinks in the summertime.  

What kind of drink would you send to impress a lady?
I'd send her something white and fruity, something that looks pretty. Maybe a "Sexy Sadie." That has pear vodka, pear puree, St. Germain and a little dash of cassis.  

Is there a classy way to do shots?
I think in the summer you should do a room-temperature good tequila with a orange wedge afterwards. Generally anything that's one-hundred-percent agave is good. There's one tequila in particular that everyone thinks is the best, but I don't want to get in trouble naming names. 

Oh, come on. You won't get in trouble.
Okay, it's Patron. Patron Silver. It's just about marketing, and really, it's like the Bud Light of tequila. It has no flavor.  

So when people ask for a Patron Silver margarita...
It's because that's what marketing told them that's what they should be drinking. But there's no bite to it, and for a margarita, where all the other ingredients are so sweet, I think you need something with a little bite to it.  

What's a drink order that would impress you?
Just ordering properly and knowing what you want. Knowing the lingo. Definitely nothing blue.

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Across the Universe
1 and 3/4 oz. Tanteo jalapeno tequila
3/4 oz. fresh lime juice
Fill the rest of the glass with watermelon puree, and garnish with lime.