Best Summer Spirits 2026: What K&L's NYC Spirits Buyer Is Drinking This Season
Jonathan Goldstein is K&L Wine Merchants' New York City Spirits Buyer, based at our 270 Madison Avenue store.
Summer spirits are a different animal than winter spirits. You want something that works in a glass with ice on a hot day, something that plays well with citrus, something you can make in a pitcher without embarrassing yourself. Here are the five bottles I keep coming back to this season—and a few more worth knowing about.
Lost Explorer Blanco Tequila (750ml) $44.99 If there's one bottle I'd put on every summer table, this is it. 100% Blue Weber Agave from Jalisco, double distilled in small batches, with bright citrus and a distinctive cinnamon note that works whether you're making a serious margarita or just pouring it over ice. This is not mixer-grade tequila in nice packaging—it's the real thing, and it's versatile enough to carry the whole season.
Granja Nomada Ensamble Mezcal (750ml) $49.99 For the grillmaster who wants something a little more interesting than tequila. Subtle smoke, genuine earthiness, and enough complexity to drink on its own over a rock with a citrus garnish. I particularly like this alongside grilled vegetables—it's one of the rare spirits that actually makes a case for vegetarian grilling.
Hamilton Demerara Rum (750ml) $24.99 Every home bar needs a workhorse rum and this is mine. Rich, structured, and honest—works beautifully in a daiquiri, a dark and stormy, or just neat over ice when the tiki mood strikes. At $24.99 it's the easiest call on this list.
Mars Shinshu "Iwai 45" Japanese Whisky (750ml) $32.99 The highball is having a moment, and it deserves to. A good Japanese whisky over ice with sparkling water is one of the most refreshing things you can drink on a hot day—lighter and more nuanced than a bourbon highball, endlessly drinkable. Iwai 45 is the bottle I reach for when I want that without spending $80.
Sihhenge (Mhoba) Natal Queen Pineapple Infused South African Rum (750ml) $36.99 The most surprising bottle on this list. Made at Mhoba Distillery in South Africa from the Queen Nate variety of pineapple, this is genuinely unlike anything else in the rum category. Not sweet or artificial—it's a real spirit that happens to taste like summer. Particularly good alongside grilled shrimp or anything off the seafood side of the grill.
More to Explore →
Madre Ensamble Mezcal (700ml) $49.99 — Bold smoke for grilled meats
Green River Wheated Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (750ml) $34.99 — Built for a mint julep
St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur $34.99 — Pitchers of sparkling wine cocktails
Combier Liqueur D'Orange Triple Sec (750ml) $34.99 — Level up any margarita
Le Mone Meyer Lemon Aperitif (750ml) $27.99 — Adds brightness to gin or vodka
Rockey's Botanical Liqueur (750ml) $24.99 — On the rocks or in prosecco
Chinola Passion Fruit Liqueur (750ml) $29.99 — Frozen drinks, full stop
Doladira Rhubarb Aperitivo Alpino (700ml) $34.99 — The rhubarb Negroni upgrade
Neisson Rhum Agricole Blanc Martinique (1L) $39.99 — Batch cocktails or rocks with a twist