5 End-of-Summer Sundowner Cocktails to Sip On

The days are cooling, the sun is setting earlier. Summer is taking its last gasps as we speak. So what better way to say farewell to the season than over a poolside sundowner cocktail at these various Opal properties?

Country Thyme Lemonade [The Sagamore Resort & Samoset Resort]

Who can resist a cold glass of fresh-squeezed lemonade on a hot humid summer day? While this refreshing libation featuring Ketel One Citroen, Bacardi Limon Rum, lemon sour, and a variety of herbs is the number-one selling craft cocktail across all Northeast Opal properties, guests have the most fun ordering it at The Sagamore Resort and The Samoset. That’s because they get to witness the bartender walking out to the properties’ herb gardens to cut the mint and thyme fresh from their stalks.

Cilantro Ginger Cooler [Sunset Key Cottages]

Just 90 miles from Cuba, Key West has been a haven for Cuban immigrants for centuries, infusing plenty of spicy food and flavor into the laid-back Keys lifestyle. Featuring Bombay Gin, ginger liqueur, margarita mix, and muddled cilantro leaves, this cooling cocktail is the perfect way to tone down the heat after a day spent imbibing spicy dish after dish while across the island.

Blueberry Jam Mojito [West Street Hotel & Harborside Hotel, Spa & Marina]

The blueberry is Maine’s state fruit, so, naturally, it makes sense to incorporate the blue fruit into some of the cocktails (the resorts also offer additional concoctions called the Stoli Blueberi Fog, Blue Shine, Cilantro-Blueberry Sow’Rita, Blueberry Tarragon Martini – the list goes on). However, it’s this mojito that is perhaps the most popular. Perhaps that’s because blueberry and mint make for an amazing flavor combination that screams summer? Or perhaps it’s because, during the months of July and August, the blueberries used to make the jam shrub come fresh from roadside stands between Ellsworth and the head of Mount Desert Island.

Jalapeño Agave Margarita [The Sagamore Resort, Lake Placid Lodge, Samoset Resort, West Street Hotel & Harborside Hotel, Spa & Marina]

While a spicy margarita feels more at home in Florida, Opal’s northeastern properties offer an appropriate counterpart. Made with Tanteo Jalapeño Agave Tequila, the classic offers a bit of a kick but it doesn’t overwhelm you, especially as it is balanced with freshly squeezed lime and a touch of orange juice. Not to mention, it comes garnished with jalepeño slices for those who are daring and really want some heat.

Coconut Daiquiri [Opal Sands Resort & Sandpearl Resort]

Daiquiris are the perfect litmus test to determine whether a bartender knows how to make a quality drink – and it’s a test the bartenders at Opal Sands Resort and Sandpearl Resort consistently pass with flying colors. After all, they were integral in the process of creating the Coconut Daiquiri, which is not made in a blender, but hand-shaken. Normally, when you think of daiquiris, you picture a frozen drink, umbrella-in-glass, and sitting by the pool. However, this version breaks convention and is more upscale martini-style – something for after the sun goes down. The rum gives the drink its kick, but the coconut balances it out with a tropical flavor worthy of its Florida roots.

Where to Stay Harborside Hotel, Spa & Marina | Lake Placid Lodge | Opal Sands Resort | The Sagamore Resort | Sandpearl Resort | Samoset Resort | Sunset Key Cottages | West Street Hotel