Young M.A is here to help you toast to the summer. The multi-platinum selling artist shares four drink recipes she’s created in collaboration with Black-owned liquor brand NYAK Cognac. The drinks will be featured in an upcoming “Tropical Summer Drink” online series with Young M.A and two bartenders.
More on Young M.A and NYAK Cognac’s Collaboration
This four-part drink series was filmed at CRU Hookah Lounge in Alpharetta, GA and will be posted on the artist and the liquor company’s social media accounts. Here are several outtakes from the series shared on Young M.A’s Instagram.
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Young M.A is NYAK’s first official artist partner and earlier this year she launched her VSOP limited-edition Cognac with the liquor brand. All of the drinks she developed for this online series use the VSOP label, which is currently available in Alabama, Massachusetts, Georgia, Michigan, Texas, Maryland, New York, Tennessee, Louisiana, Mississippi. Kentucky, New Jersey, Delaware, Connecticut, Wisconsin and Florida.
“These recipes were curated by myself, my management and the executive team at NYAK,” Young M.A says in a press release. “We made sure to come up with innovative and tasty recipes that are perfect for the warm weather.”
NYAK RED Passionfruit PUNCH
Ingredients:
-2 ripe passion fruits
-1 cup crushed ice
-1/2 cup water
-1 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
-2 ounces NYAK VSOP COGNAC
-Sparkling wine or club soda
-1 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
-Lime wheel for garnish
Directions:
1. Blend passion fruit in a blender with water to make the puree.
2. In a cocktail shaker combine ice, 2 ounces of passionfruit puree, lime juice, agave nectar, and NYAK VSOP. This is for just one cocktail; however you have enough papaya puree for about 12 cocktails.
3. Serve in a glass over ice. If you want to add some fizz, add a splash of sparkling wine or club soda. Garnish with a lime wheel.
Sweet N Savory Cognac Mango Margarita
Ingredients:
-2 ounces NYAK VSOP COGNAC
-1 ounce mango purée
-1 ounce fresh lime juice
-1/4 ounce agave nectar
-Tajin seasoning
Directions:
1. In a cocktail shaker with ice, put all the ingredients and mix well.
2. Coat the rim of an old-fashioned glass with Tajin.
3. Strain into an old-fashioned glass.
4. Garnish with a slice of mango or mango wheel.
The Watermelon Dream
Ingredients:
-1 1/2 ounces (45 ml) NYAK VSOP Cognac
-4 watermelon cubes
-1 ounce (30 ml) triple sec
-1 1/2 ounces (45 ml) Watermelon Pucker
-Watermelon slice for garnish
-1 ounce (30 ml) lime juice
Directions:
1. Muddle watermelon cubes in the bottom of an old-fashioned glass
2. Add ice, VSOP NYAK COGNAC, watermelon pucker, triple sec and lime juice to glass and shake well.
3. Strain mix over ice and garnish with a watermelon slice.
NYAK Red Papaya Champagne Cocktail
Ingredients:
-1 small Caribbean papaya, seeded and chopped
-8 ounces NYAK VSOP Cognac
-Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label Brut Champagne
Directions:
1. Place the pulp of the papaya into a blender, and blend thoroughly until puréed.
2. Pour the purée into four champagne flutes until it reaches 1/3 of the way up each flute.
3. Add 2 ounces of Cognac to each glass and top with the champagne. Makes 4 cocktails.
For more summer drink inspiration, check out our roundup of the nine hard seltzer brands worth trying.