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Cocktail History
The Fog Cutter is a classic tiki cocktail that is believed to have been created by Victor Bergeron at Trader Vic’s in San Francisco, California. Several variations of the recipe exist, but it’s traditionally made with a split base of rum, brandy, gin, and sherry and paired with citrus and orgeat, an almond-flavored syrup and go-to tiki ingredient.
Cocktail Ingredients
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:
White Rum: This is a type of rum made with molasses or sugar cane juice and a neutral spirit that is filtered and bottled right away without the aging process. We used BACARDÍ Superior White Rum because it has a soft and slightly sweet rum flavor. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Lyre’s Non-Alcoholic White Cane Spirit in place of the rum.
Cognac: This is a type of brandy made in Cognac, France with distilled white wine. We used Courvoisier VSOP Cognac because it has a rich mouthfeel and a delightful brandy spice with notes of peach, almond, and cinnamon. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Escape Mocktails Non-Alcoholic Cognac Alternative in place of the brandy.
Gin: This is a spirit made with juniper berries, botanicals, and alcohol. We used Gordon’s London Dry Gin because it has a classic botanical flavor. For a mocktail version of this drink, try MONDAY Zero Alcohol Gin in place of the gin.
Amontillado Sherry: This is a type of medium-dry fortified wine made in Spain with palomino grapes. We used Don Benigno Amontillado Sherry because it has a dry and rich wine flavor. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Non-Alcoholic Sherry Flavoring in place of the sherry.
Orange Curaçao: This is a liqueur made with oranges, sugar, and brandy or rum. We used Grand Marnier Cordon Rouge because it has a rich Cognac base with notes of bitter orange, hazelnut, and toffee. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Monin Premium Triple Sec Syrup in place of the orange liqueur.
Lemon Juice: This is the liquid juice of a lemon. We used freshly squeezed lemon juice.
Orgeat Syrup: This is a sweetener made with roasted almonds, orange blossom, sugar, and water. We used Liber & Co. Almond Orgeat Syrup because it’s delicious and high quality.
Orange Peel: This the peel of an orange that is cut into a strip.
Mint Sprig: This is an herb. We used fresh Mojito mint.
Orchid Blossom: This is the third garnish. It adds tropical floral aroma.
Bartending Tools
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:
Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. We used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Boston Shaker: This is used to shake ingredients. We used the Boston shaker from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Hawthorne Strainer: This is used to strain out ice and solid ingredients after the cocktail is shaken. We used the A Bar Above Hawthorne Strainer.
Paring Knife: This is used to cut ingredients. We used the OXO Good Grips 3.5 Inch Paring Knife.
Juicer: This is used to juice citrus. We used the ALEEHAI Manual Fruit Juicer.
Peeler: This is used to remove the garnish peel from the citrus. We used the OXO Good Grips 2-Piece Peeler Set.
This post contains affiliate links, meaning we make a small commission each time you purchase a product using our links. Product images sourced from Amazon Product Advertising API. Amazon affiliate links last updated on 2024-10-14.
Tasting Notes
The Fog Cutter features aromas of orange and mint, a nice tart lemony start at first sip, and a good mix of the three spirits while held in the mouth, all of which are tied together with the lemon and curaçao. On the swallow, the nutty orgeat is also pleasant but not overwhelming.
Our Opinion of This Cocktail Recipe: We actually tried three versions of this cocktail: the classic, a variation included in Easy Tiki: A Modern Revival with 60 Recipes by Chloe Frechette, and an improved version adapted from Paul McGee of Lost Lake in Chicago.
The main difference among all three is how much citrus juice is used, which can drastically change the taste of a cocktail. The original recipe calls for two ounces of orange juice and one ounce of lemon juice. The second omits the citrus juices all together and instead calls for expressing the orange peel’s oils over the drink at the end. And the third swaps out the fresh orange juice for orange curaçao. The winner was by far the third variation. The classic called for too much citrus in our opinion, while the second variation called for none which made it feel as if something was missing from the drink. Paul McGee’s Fog Cutter, however, was well-balanced. It’s a delicious and complex yet sweet summertime sipper that we both enjoyed and can’t wait to drink poolside soon.
Kendall’s Take: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
“A lot of tiki drinks are fruit-forward with prominent coconut or pineapple flavors, but this one is more citrus-forward than anything. To be honest, I prefer pineapple tiki drinks over the others, but this one was still very tasty. I especially liked the split base and the hint of sherry in the aftertaste. We tried it with Oloroso sherry first and then dry sherry second, and we both thought the nuttiness of the Oloroso was far too overpowering. I don’t know that I will ever crave this drink, but it’s worth trying at least one time.”
Recipe
This cocktail recipe was adapted from Easy Tiki: A Modern Revival with 60 Recipes by Chloe Frechette.
This post contains affiliate links, meaning we make a small commission each time you purchase a product using our links. Product images sourced from Amazon Product Advertising API. Amazon affiliate links last updated on 2024-10-14.
Fog Cutter
The Fog Cutter is a classic tiki cocktail that is believed to have been created by Victor Bergeron at Trader Vic’s in San Francisco, California. Several variations of the recipe exist, but it’s traditionally made with a split base of rum, brandy, gin, and sherry and paired with citrus and orgeat, an almond-flavored syrup and go-to tiki ingredient.
Ingredients
Method
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Add rum, brandy, gin, sherry, orange curaçao, lemon juice, orgeat syrup, and cubed ice to a shaker.
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Shake for 10-20 seconds.
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Strain into a tiki glass over fresh cracked ice.
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Garnish with orange peel, mint sprig, orchid, and straw.
