“Cocktail College” is brought to you by Zacapa No. 23 Rum. Listener, I want to talk to you about aging today, specifically about solera aging. You probably know it from the fine wines in Jerez, Spain, and you’ve probably noticed that it’s become something of a trend these days in distilled spirits. Well, for Zacapa No. 23 Rum, that’s always been the process — a blend of 6- to 23-year-old rums using the solera method — but not only that. Here’s what’s super interesting: that aging takes place in some of the highest-altitude facilities in the world. They call it “the house above the clouds.” And when you start to get that combination, that unique combination of solera and altitude, what you end up with is an aged rum that is truly unique. Here’s what else is unique: the petate weaving on every bottle. They’re handwoven, and I’m a sucker for bottle design, so I wanted to point that out. But folks, that is Zacapa No. 23. The bottle looks great, the liquid tastes great, and it’s got a really unique story you can share with friends. Head to www.zacaparum.com right now to learn more.
In the famous words of tiki godfather Donn Beach, “What one rum can’t do, three rums can.” It’s a mantra that countless tropical cocktails are built upon, but today’s multifaceted drink sees the unlikely appearance of gin and sherry in the mix. It’s a Trader Vic original, his alleged response to Beach’s Zombie cocktail, and as (one of) our guests today explains, a maximalist take on the Scorpion. The cocktail in question? None other than the Fog Cutter. And with such a complex drink comes a few questions with complex answers. Can gin truly double as bitters? And why do some tropical drinks call for lemon juice as opposed to lime? Luckily, our guests came well equipped to clear the fog on all things Fog Cutter.
From Brooklyn’s Sunken Harbor Club, we proudly present the first-ever, out-of-studio recording of “Cocktail College!” That’s right, it’s a marathon episode of firsts — and threes: the first “Cocktail College” recorded in front of a (sold out) crowd; our first time featuring three guests (plus audience questions); not one, not two, but three cocktails (at least one of which contains three base spirits, and a sherry float for good measure).
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Get ready for Garret Richard’s Fog Cutter, Scarlet Fog, and advanced cocktail techniques expertise; Carlos Perez’s Brain Fog riff; and St. John Frizell’s exaltation on that drink’s newly launched, deliciously cerebral, eponymous mug — a Sunken Harbor Club first! Light up the tiki torches and tune in for more.
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Garret Richard’s Fog Cutter Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 orange wheel
- 1 ounce Denizen White rum
- ¾ ounce brandy (Capurro Pisco)
- ¼ ounce Ford’s Gin
- ½ ounce fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Orgeat (Beachbum Berry’s Latitude 29)
- Lemon punch syrup (mix of oleo saccharum, fresh lemon juice, sugar, and citric acid)
- Almond extract
- Saline solution
- Float: ½ ounce Harvey’s Bristol Cream sherry
- Garnish: mint sprig and an orchid
Directions
- Muddle orange wheel in a Collins glass and set aside.
- Add rum, pisco, gin, lemon juice, orgeat, lemon punch, almond extract, and saline solution to a mixing tin.
- Flash blend with ice.
- Add to Collins glass with muddled orange.
- Fill with crushed ice and top with sherry float.
- Garnish with generous mint sprig, orchid, and serve with a straw.
(Note: We plan to update this recipe with more exact quantities for some of the ingredients — stay tuned!)
Trader Vic’s Fog Cutter Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 ounces Puerto Rican rum
- 1 ounce brandy
- ½ ounce gin
- 1 ounce orange juice
- 2 ounces lemon juice
- Float: sherry
Directions
- Add all ingredients to a mixing glass with cracked ice.
- Shake until well chilled.
- Pour into a tall glass with ice.
- Top with sherry float and serve with a straw.
(For Don the Beachcomber’s version, replace brandy with pisco.)
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Tropical Standard: Cocktail Techniques & Reinvented Recipes (SIGNED COPY)
