This summer's lineup leans light, bright, and easy to sip poolside, on a patio, or at your next event. Here are three of the season's standouts, along with exactly how to make them.

What Is the Cocktail of the Month Series?

Each month, Nick shares a featured cocktail: the recipe, the technique, and the story behind it. It is a chance to try something new without overhauling your whole bar cart, and it doubles as a preview of the kind of curated, seasonal drink menus Nick builds for private events, weddings, and corporate parties across Westchester County, NYC, and Connecticut.

The Aperol Spritz (June's Cocktail of the Month)

The Aperol Spritz is the easiest way to bring an Italian summer to your glass. It is low-proof, bright orange, and endlessly easy to batch for a crowd.

Ingredients: Prosecco, Aperol, a top of club soda, and an orange slice for garnish.

How to make it: Fill a wine glass with ice. Pour in the Prosecco, then the Aperol, then top with a splash of club soda. Give it a gentle stir and garnish with an orange slice. That is it.

Why it works for summer: It is refreshing, low-alcohol, and pairs with almost any warm-weather menu, from a backyard cookout to a rooftop cocktail hour.

The Hugo Spritz: Summer's Elegant Alternative

If the Aperol Spritz is the classic, the Hugo Spritz is its more delicate cousin. Built on elderflower liqueur instead of a bitter aperitivo, it is floral, herbal, and a favorite at the mixology classes Nick teaches around the tri-state area.

Ingredients: Prosecco, elderflower liqueur such as St-Germain, a splash of soda water, fresh mint, and a lime wedge.

How to make it: Fill a wine glass with ice, add the elderflower liqueur, top with Prosecco and a splash of soda water. Stir gently and finish with a few fresh mint leaves and a squeeze of lime.

Why it works for summer: It is lighter and less bitter than a traditional spritz, which makes it a crowd-pleaser for guests who want something refreshing without a strong citrus or bitter edge.

The Smoky Paloma: For When You Want Something with an Edge

For guests who want more depth than a spritz, the Smoky Paloma is a go-to. It is one of the cocktails Nick regularly teaches in his private mixology classes, and it brings a smoky, savory contrast to the usual sweet summer drink lineup.

Ingredients: Mezcal, fresh grapefruit juice or grapefruit soda, fresh lime juice, a touch of agave, and a salt rim.

How to make it: Rim a glass with salt and fill with ice. Combine the mezcal, grapefruit juice, lime juice, and agave in a shaker with ice, shake, and strain over the glass. Top with a splash of grapefruit soda if using juice instead of soda, and garnish with a lime or grapefruit wheel.

Why it works for summer: The smoky mezcal plays beautifully against the tart grapefruit, giving the drink more complexity than a typical warm-weather cocktail without losing that refreshing quality.

Why a Cocktail of the Month Series Is More Than Just a Recipe

Following along each month is a low-pressure way to build your own bartending skills and expand what you can make at home. It is also a preview of what a curated cocktail menu from On The Rocks with Nick looks like in practice: seasonal, balanced, and built around what your guests will actually enjoy drinking.

If you are planning a wedding, private party, or corporate event, these are exactly the kinds of drinks that can be built into a custom menu for your gathering, along with signature cocktails designed specifically around your event.

Want These Made for You at Your Next Event?

Recipes are fun to try at home, but there is nothing like having a professional behind the bar. Nick brings the recipes, the technique, and the full setup, so your guests get expertly made cocktails without you lifting a shaker. Book Nick for your next private event, wedding, or corporate gathering across Westchester County, NYC, and Connecticut.

Follow along on Instagram for next month's featured cocktail, and get in touch to build a custom drink menu for your own event.