The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 5 letter word JULEP
J
U
L
E
P
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Lacking ice, a fruit drink to skip?" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case lacking ice, a fruit drink to skip? = julep.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does JULEP mean?
JULEP noun- A refreshing drink flavored with aromatic herbs, especially mint, and sometimes alcohol.
- A pleasant-tasting liquid medicine in which other nauseous medicines are taken.